Jean Asselborn at the International Conference for Reconstruction of Iraq, Kuwait;
Credit: MAEE
Luxembourg Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Jean Asselborn today attended the International Conference for Reconstruction of Iraq, held in Kuwait.
At the invitation of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Minister Jean Asselborn participated on 14 February 2018 in the International Conference for the Reconstruction of Iraq, co-chaired by Kuwait, Iraq, the United Nations, the World Bank and the European Union.
The way in which the international community can contribute to the long-term stabilisation and reconstruction of Iraq, a country devastated by three decades of war, was at the centre of the discussions. For his part, Jean Asselborn called for a comprehensive political agreement between all components of Iraqi society that will allow establishment of an inclusive governance system reflecting the religious and ethnic diversity of the country. He added that: "This is to prevent the next generation of Iraqis from inheriting the burden of reconstruction. Together with the Iraqi authorities, we must bridge the gaps between immediate needs and long-term reconstruction and identify durable solutions".
The head of Luxembourg diplomacy particularly insisted on considering the human and socio-economic dimension, which is complementary to the political and physical dimensions of reconstruction. Similarly, Jean Asselborn stressed the importance of coordinating humanitarian actions and development actions in order to permanently address the root causes of vulnerability and lay the groundwork for sustainable reconstruction of Iraq.
In 2018, Luxembourg will allocate at least €1.5 million to help redress the humanitarian situation in Iraq and thereby maintain a significant level of support through multi-year funding agreements with the World Food Program (WFP), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). In addition, Luxembourg will for the first time contribute to the Iraq Humanitarian Fund, a multi-donor pool managed by OCHA.
