WITH ITS GLOBAL DECLINE, AL-SUDANI: THE COUNTRY’S ECONOMY CANNOT BE MORTGAGED TO ITS DEPENDENCE ON OIL, 9 APRIL

WITH ITS GLOBAL DECLINE, AL-SUDANI: THE COUNTRY’S ECONOMY CANNOT BE MORTGAGED TO ITS DEPENDENCE ON OIL

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani met today, Friday, with a group of tribal sheikhs and dignitaries from various components, at the guest house of Hajj Rahim Majiser al-Baydani in Baghdad.

Al-Sudani congratulated the attendees on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, thanking Rahim Majiser al-Baydani for the invitation. He also praised his social and humanitarian role and contributions, including his provision of aid and support to security forces and displaced persons during the war on ISIS. He emphasized that the tribes have always supported the state since its founding, beginning with the 1920 Revolution, and that their contributions and sacrifices have continued effectively at various stages and times.

The Prime Minister pointed to the role of the tribes and their honorable stance in responding to the religious authority’s call for sufficient jihad, the call of the homeland, as all members of the tribes that bear the Iraqi color lined up in the trench of confrontation against terrorism. This stance came at a time when it was rumored that Iraq had ended as a state, only for the country to return safe and unified.

Al-Sudani emphasized that the supreme religious authority’s reference to Iraqis having a cultural and intellectual heritage that they must study, understand, and rely on is a fitting gesture, and that our country, with its culture and resources, is capable of facing various challenges. He emphasized that the reference to Iraq’s recovery and its being on the right path is a reassuring message to some alarmists who paint a picture of anxiety, panic, and defeatism among society.

The following are the most important points made by the Prime Minister:

What we enjoy today is thanks to the sacrifices and honorable stances of the tribes, which we cannot forget. Iraq is strong, capable, healthy, and progressing, as attested to by all regional and international institutions.

Iraq has an important pioneering role, and the reconstruction and development it is witnessing from Basra to Nineveh is an unprecedented phase.

From the beginning, the government has worked on priorities based on the needs of the people, far from any personal or partisan objectives. We cannot mortgage the country’s future to oil alone, especially since Iraq possesses the potential for agriculture, industry, and tourism.

Our country is distinguished by its geographical location as a global trade corridor; this is why we launched the Development Road project. We work day and night to achieve our commitments, and we have the capabilities, resources, and determination to face various challenges.

Work is continuing on a project to transport gas to our power stations.

There is a genuine will to achieve reforms, and we have made significant progress in this regard, in a period not exceeding two and a half years of the government’s term. 

The region witnessed exceptional circumstances, and the government’s greatest test was how to handle this crisis, given Iraq’s principled position on the Palestinian issue.

The continued Zionist aggression against the Palestinians has revealed the failure of the international community.

We were able to preserve Iraq by acting wisely and responsibly to avoid slipping into the arena of war and conflict. Some emotional and hasty voices wanted Iraq to go to war and conflict.

The interests of Iraq and the Iraqis are the government’s top priority, and there is no room for favoritism toward any internal or external party. The government’s approach is to preserve the country’s supreme interests, and we have full hope that religious leaders, tribal sheikhs, and elites will promote a message of unity, solidarity, and brotherhood among all members of society.

There are those who thrive on the rhetoric of sedition, crisis, and conspiracies, and we must pay attention to this matter, especially with the upcoming elections. We are confident that Iraq’s future is promising, thanks to its people, capabilities, resources, and sound principles of state administration.