In a farewell letter.. British Ambassador: Iraq these days at its best since the 1970s
British Ambassador to Iraq Stephen Hitchen sent a message to the Iraqis on the occasion of the end of his duties.
“Dear Iraqis, I will leave your dear country in a few days, and I would like to express my deep gratitude for your friendship and hospitality over the past two years,” Hitchen said in his letter.
He added: “I will tell you a secret, my wife is angry with me, and this is not new, but this time it has a specific reason! She watched videos of me enjoying the beauty of your country, she saw me on the top of the twisted minaret, and on the banks of the Euphrates in Ramadi, and she saw me tasting the Muskov, Dolma, Baja, Al-Zarda, Al-Dhina and the soil of kings, she saw me in the mountains of Barzan and the marshes of Dhi Qar, and in the churches of Baghdad and the the Monastery of Mar Mati, and among the shrines of the imams in Samarra, Najaf, Karbala and Kazimiyah, and she also saw me celebrating the Prophet’s birth in Al-Azamiyah. And the result? She is very angry and insists that we come back one day as a tourist!”
He continued: “I learned a lot from you, I learned the true meaning of courage, kindness and tact, and I have seen how you – despite all the challenges – put the honor of the guest in the first place, and I have also added to my vocabulary some new Iraqi words: Stoney, Sabai, Balm, I Agh!”
He continued: “I was lucky to see Iraq these days at its best since the 1970s, and despite significant progress, there are still challenges, and I am proud that the United Kingdom is working with you to face them, and the economy remains the biggest of these challenges: we announced exports worth $15 billion during Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani’s visit to London, and in the field of
education, we launched 12 new university partnerships, and the University of London in Erbil opened.”
He added: “With regard to climate change, which may threaten stability and progress, we have signed a new agreement in this regard, and announced large British investments in the management of water resources, and the threat of drug and human smuggling is no less serious than terrorism, so we are working with you to build a new agreement to support the police and strengthen border security. Finally, we all know that success cannot be achieved without empowering half of society, and that is why we started a dialogue to promote women’s participation politically and economically within a framework of respect and cooperation.”
The British ambassador said in his message: “I have witnessed an important transformation in Iraq and its status in the world. The talk was previously about how Iraq’s problems affect the region, but today, the focus has become on how to protect Iraq from the crises of the region. Iraq is no longer just an item on the international agenda, but has become a participant in its formulation. Your experience and wisdom have enormous value, especially for your neighbors in Syria, and they seek to get out of the legacy of the past. Our partnership today has become a partnership of ander, and I did not feel more proud of the moment of welcoming Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani in his meeting with His Majesty the King as an honorable guest. The weather was cold, but the welcome was warm.”
He added: “I do not want to exceed the limits of your hospitality, but allow me to share my hopes for Iraq. First, I wish this great country prosperity and stability, but with rapid population growth (2.3% annually) and low oil prices since my arrival, a rapid economic reform is necessary that revives the private sector and invests in the Iraqi people.”
He continued: “Secondly, governance precedes political rivalries, and you have a test coming with the elections, there are two tracks in front of you: either the formation of a new government quickly that enhances the momentum of progress, or a long delay that may drain what has been achieved during the past two years, the nationalism requires making concessions, and quickly.”
Finally, Hechen says: “You alone are able to solve your problems, you have the creativity, intelligence and flexibility to overcome the challenges, but we hope to be by your side in this march, not only because we want to help, but simply because we find in you exceptional comfort and warmth.”
He concluded by saying: “It seems that I have prolonged the conversation, and I do not want to offend the prestige of ‘Abu Naji’, but I’m about to cry! It’s time to go and reconcile with my wife, all hail and God.”