Serious global collaboration needed in war on terrorism, Iraqi premier tells UN Assembly

Taking the podium of the United Nations General Assembly to declare that most of the land seized by Islamist extremists has been recaptured, Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi today appealed to the international community for more aid to reintegrate those displaced and greater cooperation in the war on terrorism.

“Currently we are heading towards liberating Nineveh, the last province remaining under Daesh (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant), from which we regained major areas and we shall complete its liberation by the end of this year,” he told the Assembly’s annual general debate.

“Assisted by our friends in the international community, we started to implement programs for the return of internally displaced people (IDPs) to their liberated areas, where we developed an integrated program for re-stabilization and service provision, particularly water, electricity, schools and hospitals.

“We call on the international community to maintain further their support for the sheltering and return of IDPs, especially, with the forthcoming battle to fully liberate Nineveh and the anticipated increase of displaced persons,” he said.

He praised UN for helping to address IDP issues and the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and other international organizations for shoring up Government economic reforms, citing the reduction of expenditure despite the costs of the war against terrorism, the restructuring of state institutions to prioritize citizen services and ease investment, and fight against corruption.

“We look forward to the day when Iraq and the whole region is free of Da’esh [also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant],” Mr. Abadi said. “Nevertheless, our delight would come true only when the whole World becomes free from terrorism that threatens our peoples and nations. This requires serious collaboration to besiege terrorism, dry out its ideological and financial resources, and demolish its networks and recruitment hubs which are all over the world.

“Without such co-operation, terrorism would reach everywhere and refugees fleeing conflict areas would increase in numbers, which has already reached serious and unprecedented levels, he added.”