On these days, we commemorate the 20th anniversary of the previous dictatorial regime’s fall, full of woes and tragedies, but also full of the hope for liberation from oppression, injustice and the move towards independence and prosperity. The deafening fall of the regime, a few years ago, was the inevitable result of many decades marked by enslavement, tyranny and mismanagement, as well as the disdain for the Iraqi people’s capabilities and honour. The fall of the regime is the result of holding wrong ideas as true, as well as many internal and external transgressions. But now, instead of having a country launched towards the long-awaited revival, it has been confronted to a series of incidents and problems which are faced by all countries drifting from an authoritarian regime: lack of freedom, and riots reaching chaos
These conditions have wasted a lot of time and ruined the hopes for freedom, salvation and progress. It’s now time to heal the wounds and to prepare a bright future for the courageous people of Iraq who deserves the best. Our people has been very patient and has sacrificed the dearest to them. Iraqis lost many martyrs for the liberation of the people and the land, as well as for the purification from terrorism and tyranny’s horror. The people succeeded in the elaboration of a constitution placing the Iraqis – men and women- at the center of it, and having as a primary goal to maintain their rights to freedom, dignity and equality. This constitution has opened the way for the construction of a state with equal citizens, which should remain our goal. In spite of all the difficulties and challenges, we’re working towards that as well as for the safekeeping of the country’s sovereignty and unity.
Our people are awaiting a rebirth. This rebirth is conditioned by the existence of a country at its best shape. We aren’t lacking in human resources, in technical competences or in natural resources such as soil and water, with the Tigris and Euphrates. The geographical position of Iraq gives the country a strategic place on the international scene. All of this has given a specific place to Iraq across the times and have put the country at the center of knowledge and science throughout the centuries and gathering many scientists and scholars from all over the world. Today is the day to use all of this and to give back to Iraq the role it once had within the countries of the world.
These wishes aren’t just hopes flirting with our imagination. They can also become part of the tangible reality. Our people, with the help of God, is capable of it. What we’re missing right now is the implementation of technical plans and programs to apply in all fields.
Today, we’re at the dawn of a new phase that we hope will be good and prosperous. We’re doing everything for that. We have set up a complete program to solve our most pressing issues. We’ve been involved since the beginning to solve the issues that have been hindering the country’s advancement since it awakening. Financial and administrative corruption are part of the main dangers for the country. That’s why we’ve taken the initiative to fight corruption through a complete plan that we will continue to follow. By doing so, we want to help members of the state as well as all those who wish to help it for this fight, which isn’t any less dangerous than the one against terrorism.
We’re determined to rebuild Iraq through a clear vision and a roadmap working on different steps. We’ve begun the first phase by involving the state for an economic policy reform as well as for the fight against poverty, as specified in our governmental program in which we have set our priorities. The second phase is the economic, human and military growth, as well security reinforcement.
In spite of the major difficulties we’ve been facing inside the country and outside, we still have the great will to take on this challenge. The problems and difficult conditions that our people have gone through has raised awareness about what’s good and what’s bad. They taught the people to hold on to what’s good and that what’s bad, like conflicts, will only bring failures and regression on all levels.
The misfortunes and catastrophes that all the esteemed components of the Iraqi people have endured will reinforce their faith in the fact that the Iraqi identity should always be held on to. It’s clear that non-national identities, although noble and respectable, can never be a substitution for a unifying national identity. There will be no glory outside of this unity, just like there will be no dignity unless all of Iraq lives with its head held on high among the other nations.
Today’s Iraq is reconciled with others, just as it is reconciled with itself. It doesn’t wish to harm anybody just like it doesn’t wish to be harmed. Iraq wants everybody’s good and wants to make its people live the way it deserves to live. Iraq needs all its citizens, without exception, in the current strife for reconstruction.
We wish to work seriously on the cooperation with all friendly states as well as state organisations to take on the common challenges facing our planet regarding environment, climate, desertification, the rise in number of sand and dust storms, lack of water, the rise in temperature, pollution, diseases, poverty, as well as bad public services and other challenges. This needs state cooperation, especially to take on the challenges that we cannot take on by ourselves since they cross borders. We’re conscious of the gravity of these issues and we’re prepared to face them. We’re doing everything we can for that. Iraq has its arms wide open for all good relations and partnerships in terms of security, economy or environment.
It’s urgent to find new financial sources in order to stop depending on petrol as the only way to cover budgetary expenditure. This diversification can we done through agriculture, industrial work, tourism, business and many other.
Plans have also been set up to encourage Iraqi and foreign investors. We have also opened our door investors and project leaders, followed by a studied plan and encouraging opportunities. We know that construction and investment will need more technical workforce as well as the training and creation of means. It’s in this context that we have launched the leadership program in order to help the youth to acquire the necessary experience and knowledge, without forgetting to reinforce the military and security capacities.
Development will not be possible unless through stability inside the country and outside. Internal stability goes hand in hand with the sovereignty of the state and its control of all weapons. We will not tolerate to have weapons outside of military and security state institutions. Furthermore, foreign stability goes through establishing regional and international partnerships. Consequently, the strategic emplacement of Iraq, as well as its historical depth and heritage, its regional weight, its abundance in resources and its weight regarding world economy enables it to play a great role equivalent to its physical size, which is also enabled by the partnership with many world countries. Many partnerships are also to be established.
Finally, it is now the occasion to launch the national campaign for the reconstruction and the development throughout the whole country. With the help of the Iraqi people, of our partners and our friends, we will build a strong Iraq for the decades to come. This is what we will do in our future plan that we will call Iraq Vision 2050.
