Maliki: Since 2006, Iraq emerged from isolation, grew by licensing oil and gas rights for the first time in its history

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The outgoing Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Thursday evening that Iraq had been living in isolation from the outside world and faced a new wave of terrorism, stressing that Iraq regained its role regionally and internationally.

Maliki said, in a televised speech in the presence of the designated Prime Minister, Haider al-Abadi, and members of the State of Law Coalition, that “Iraq had been living in isolation and insulated from the world when I was designated Prime Minister in 2006,” stressing that “today, Iraq has restored its role regionally and internationally.”

Maliki added that “Iraq faced a new wave of terrorism early in 2012. We launched initiatives and have made a quantum leap in all fields by launching licenses of oil and gas for the first time in the history of Iraq.”