Iraq goes to Davos with five axes, and the challenge of restoring confidence imposes itself during the discussions - urgent, 18 JAN

 Iraq goes to Davos with five axes, and the challenge of restoring confidence imposes itself during the discussions - urgent

Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani is participating in the fifty-fourth session of the World Economic Forum in Davos, which is being held for the period from 15 to 19 January, and he carries with him a number of files, the most important of which are the economic and banking reforms that the government has pursued and the resolution of the presence file. Foreigners inside Iraqi territory, especially after the voices calling for their exit rose as a result of the state of tension that accompanied the targeting of the headquarters of the Popular Mobilization Forces and a number of factions, and the targeting of the international coalition bases in Baghdad and Erbil.

An Iraqi vision

Iraqi government spokesman Bassem Al-Awadi explained five priorities for Iraq's participation in the Davos Forum.

Al-Awadi said in press statements that the 54th annual meeting of the Davos Economic Forum is being held against the backdrop of the Gaza and Ukraine wars, the artificial intelligence revolution, the cost of living crisis and the issue of climate change, in an event that lasts five days, pointing out that “it was agreed that the topic of the meeting should be This year for global political and business leaders, celebrities and prominent social activists is about rebuilding trust.

Iraq reforms 

Al-Sudani, during his participation in the Global Forum, on Wednesday (January 17, 2024), met with the President of the World Bank Group, Ajay Banga, where he reviewed Iraq’s steps towards financial and banking reform.

According to a statement by Al-Sudani’s office, the meeting discussed cooperation relations between Iraq and the World Bank, in various economic fields, which contribute to supporting the government’s efforts and strategic plans, towards more investment and development opportunities in Iraq, in addition to reviewing the measures and steps taken by the government and the Central Bank of Iraq, on At the level of financial and banking reform, projects financed by the International Finance Corporation ( IFC ) were also discussed, particularly the rehabilitation and development project of Baghdad International Airport.

Foreign presence

In light of Iraq's new position on the presence of international coalition forces in Iraq, and the increasing pace of escalation through the bombing of international coalition headquarters and the American response to faction headquarters in several areas, the Prime Minister's statements came to indicate the importance of agreeing on a time frame (for withdrawal) and for it to be quick so that We will not prolong the presence and the attacks will continue. What he indicated is that the only way to avoid a regional escalation is to stop the war in Gaza. According to this principle, the issue of the presence of these forces was present in the Sudanese meetings as part of his participation in the Davos Forum, where he met the Sudanese on Tuesday (16 January 2024), with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, where the meeting witnessed confirmation of the start of the work of the bilateral committee to review the presence of the international coalition in Iraq, which was agreed upon during the visit of the Minister of Defense to the United States of America in August of last year, and to discuss In formulating a timetable to end the coalition mission and move to comprehensive bilateral relations with the coalition countries.”

In the same context, on the sidelines of his participation in the conference, on Tuesday (January 16, 2024), Al-Sudani reviewed the government’s economic and development plans in a working meeting in which heads and representatives of 57 international companies specialized in the fields of energy, oil and gas, and various economic fields participated.

The Prime Minister presented "the government's plans in the field of development and economic reform, which have come a long way, and the great investment opportunities, industrial city projects, the large Al-Faw port, the vital development road project, and integrated oil field projects."

The climate issue and its challenges will not be absent from the Iraqi discussions during the meetings that the Prime Minister will hold, especially after the Prime Minister directed, on Sunday (December 24, 2023), to appoint an official spokesman to spread environmental and health culture. link