Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Iraqi govt has high hopes for International Pact
Sharm el-Sheikh conference
(Voices of Iraq) - The Iraqi government hopes the International Pact with Iraq, to be announced next week, will become a turning point in Iraq's ties with the international community and help it obtain the financial and political support needed to achieve aspired to political, economic and security reforms. The pact is to be declared during the international conference that will coincide with the expanded ministerial meeting, on May 3-4, to be hosted by Egypt at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
The outcome of a World Bank-backed joint Iraq-UN initiative, the pact was discussed by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon during a visit to Baghdad last month. Kuwait hosted the high-level preparatory meeting on the international pact with Iraq on October 31, 2006, which was attended by representatives of 14 Arab and foreign countries, as well as international organizations.
The pact, which envisages a period of five years for re-building the war-scarred Iraq, was promoted by the UN chief who invited 100 countries and international finance organizations to contribute. Iraqi officials' statements ahead of the two meetings affirm a genuine inclination to break the political and economic isolation of their country.
The Iraqi government hopes "this pact will act as a roadmap towards (restoring) Iraq's stability and turn it into a secure federal, democratic and united country that depends on market economy," Iraqi Deputy Premier Dr. Burham Saleh said. Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zibari said Iraq, during the two forthcoming conferences, will put participating countries before their responsibilities in order to stop the deterioration of security in Iraq and to contribute to its reconstruction and economy.
On the energy sector, Saleh said "the government has ambitious programs to increase oil production from the 2.4 million barrels per day (bpd) at present to 4.2 million bpd in 2010 and 6 million bpd in 2012. The government will take steps to improve the investment climate and develop the private sector to prepare for merging Iraq into the regional and world economies," said Iraqi deputy prime minister.
The idea of the pact involves commitments on the part of Iraq to develop a secure country that is effective in its regional and international environs and a "rational government" that will democratically represent all Iraqis." The Iraqi five-year plan hopes to attain an economic growth rate of 15.4 percent in 2007, compared to only 3 percent last year, and to enhance the country's oil exports to reach 3.5 million bpd by 2011, which would help double the annual revenue to approximately 50 billion dollars.
The outcome of a World Bank-backed joint Iraq-UN initiative, the pact was discussed by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon during a visit to Baghdad last month. Kuwait hosted the high-level preparatory meeting on the international pact with Iraq on October 31, 2006, which was attended by representatives of 14 Arab and foreign countries, as well as international organizations.
The pact, which envisages a period of five years for re-building the war-scarred Iraq, was promoted by the UN chief who invited 100 countries and international finance organizations to contribute. Iraqi officials' statements ahead of the two meetings affirm a genuine inclination to break the political and economic isolation of their country.
The Iraqi government hopes "this pact will act as a roadmap towards (restoring) Iraq's stability and turn it into a secure federal, democratic and united country that depends on market economy," Iraqi Deputy Premier Dr. Burham Saleh said. Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zibari said Iraq, during the two forthcoming conferences, will put participating countries before their responsibilities in order to stop the deterioration of security in Iraq and to contribute to its reconstruction and economy.
On the energy sector, Saleh said "the government has ambitious programs to increase oil production from the 2.4 million barrels per day (bpd) at present to 4.2 million bpd in 2010 and 6 million bpd in 2012. The government will take steps to improve the investment climate and develop the private sector to prepare for merging Iraq into the regional and world economies," said Iraqi deputy prime minister.
The idea of the pact involves commitments on the part of Iraq to develop a secure country that is effective in its regional and international environs and a "rational government" that will democratically represent all Iraqis." The Iraqi five-year plan hopes to attain an economic growth rate of 15.4 percent in 2007, compared to only 3 percent last year, and to enhance the country's oil exports to reach 3.5 million bpd by 2011, which would help double the annual revenue to approximately 50 billion dollars.
Labels: Dr. Burham Saleh, Hoshyar Zibari, International Pact with Iraq, Sharm al-Sheikh Conference
