Kuwait to host donors conference on Iraq reconstruction in February
A picture shows a house destroyed in Mosul. AFP
Baghdad (Iraqinews.com) – A forthcoming conference on reconstruction in Iraq slated for February 12-14 in Kuwait comes at a “critical juncture”, the Kuwaiti news agency (KUNA) quoted Kuwait’s Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Jarallah as saying on Monday.
In a press conference to promulgate the details of the “Kuwait International Conference for Reconstruction of Iraq,” Jarallah said that his country’s unwavering support for its Gulf neighbor stems from the fact that stability in Baghdad is key to ensure security in the region.
Jarallah congratulated the Iraqi military on its decisive victory over Islamic State, saying that it was both a humanitarian and moral obligation to stand by the Iraqi people.
On the conference, he revealed that the private sector would join efforts to rebuild a nation battered by war, pointing out that the conference will likely come under close scrutiny by the international community.
Jarallah also touched on a Kuwait-hosted conference involving chief lawmakers from the Gulf region, which comes on the heels of a recent Gulf summit and the 23rd Arabian Gulf Cup, citing optimism across the board.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Staff in the Iraqi Prime Minister’s office Dr. Mahdi Alalak said that the conference was the brainchild of Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
He added that the conference is expected to stray from the norm while providing lucrative investment opportunities, which will be announced in due course.
Alalak added that his war-torn nation is in need of no less than USD 100 billion to revive Baghdad’s residential sector, which bore the brunt of the war.