ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The head of the United Nations mission in Iraq on Saturday lauded Baghdad’s push to establish security and stability, build state institutions, and diversify the economy, especially through the Development Road transit corridor, but said this progress must be built on equality.
“Iraq and the Middle East region are going through a critical juncture marked by significant geopolitical changes,” Mohamed al-Hassan, who leads the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), said in a speech at the seventh edition of the Baghdad International Dialogue.
He commended “Iraq’s determination to advance the foundations of security and stability and in building a state of institutions,” but said it “must be based on equality and justice for all citizens of our nation, regardless of their affinities.”
Hassan also praised Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani’s efforts to “diversify the economy and sources of income,” highlighting the Development Road Project as “the most significant” initiative from Baghdad. He noted that the project “will usher in an era of prosperity and well-being for both Iraq and the region.”
Earlier in the event, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani expressed Erbil’s “complete support” for the Development Road project, calling it a “historic step toward a stable and more prosperous Iraq.”
Barzani said that “in the Kurdistan Region, we believe that a politically and economically stable Iraq is a national interest.”
The Development Road is a multi-billion dollar transit project designed to link the Persian Gulf to Europe, stretching from Iraq’s al-Faw port north to the Turkish border at Fishkhabur. The project aims to enhance Iraq’s geopolitical position, stimulate economic growth, and create thousands of jobs. However, the project bypasses the Kurdistan Region, a move Kurdish officials have repeatedly criticized.
In what appeared to be a subtle message to Baghdad about the importance of including the Kurdistan Region, Barzani on Saturday stated, “We hope [the Development Road project] will serve as a true model of partnership among Iraqis of all ethnicities, religions, and sects.”
“It is true that we have challenges,” but “our victory lies in our ability to manage diversity,” he added.
UNAMI’s Hassan praised Barzani’s “inclusive speech” that conveyed “many important meanings, all of which are in Iraq's interest.”
He concluded by affirming that “at the United Nations, we are steadfast supporters of Iraq and will remain so, free from any external agendas.”
