Sayyid Al-Hakeem from Hawija: Diversity Source of Strength, Iraq’s Security, Protection Everyone’s Responsibility

From Hawija District in Kirkuk Governorate, His Eminence Sayyid Al-Hakeem, Head of the National State Powers’ Alliance, met with a gathering of Iraqi tribal sheikhs at the guesthouse of Sheikh Ahmed Nayef Al-Muhairi Al-Jubouri, regarding diversity as a source of strength for the country, calling for unity and national cohesion, expressing happiness at visiting Hawija District, and stressing the management of diversity and capitalizing on Iraq’s components as Iraqi bridges of communication with the countries of the region and the world, which contributes to the expansion of Iraq’s regional and international influence.
H.E. explained that Iraqis are a nation composed of several peoples brought together by the inclusive national identity, calling for respecting, recognizing, and appreciating specificities, affirming the importance of each individual expressing their identity, culture, specificities, customs, traditions, holidays, and attire with all pride, respect, and honor, explaining that differences of opinion are natural in a country like Iraq, and stressing agreement on strategic issues and difference on everything else.
H.E. explained that ending the International Coalition’s mission is a step of recovery, commending its end through dialogue and understanding and adherence to the mutual strategic relations with the coalition countries, and stressing the need to send messages of reassurance among the components and prove the ability of Iraqis to manage their country, for Iraq is the country of everyone, and its security and protection are everyone’s responsibility.
H.E. called for confronting terrorist cells and not being complacent toward them, describing ISIS as a cancerous tumor that a person can recover from, yet which can return to activity if we settle into a state of passive complacency, pointing to the importance of preserving stability and not allowing a return to previous stages, and stressing the need to address the problem of weapons outside the framework of the state and to include everyone to whom this label applies, in accordance with the Constitution, which rejects Iraq becoming a corridor or a launching point for threatening neighboring countries.
H.E. explained that the selection of the Prime Minister stems from the nature of the challenge facing Iraq at present, affirming that the economic challenge is the most prominent and the most pressing on the Iraqi reality, clarifying that Mr. Al-Zaidi is familiar with the Iraqi reality by virtue of his work in the private sector and his dealings with the public sector, and explaining that the government’s priority at present is increasing Iraqi oil exports in line with Iraq’s needs and population size, and diversifying its export outlets through a pipeline network toward the Red Sea and the Mediterranean.
H.E. stipulated, for achieving these priorities, bringing in foreign investments and forming partnerships with specialized international companies, explaining that these partnerships require a stable security situation, drawing attention to the government’s priority of diversifying the economy and activating productive sectors such as agriculture, industry, tourism, investment, and modern technology, and clarifying the importance of dedicating oil revenues to a future generations fund or to strategic projects and infrastructure.
H.E. called for structural solutions that get the private sector moving and make it the preferred destination for the workforce, affirming the importance of paying the dues of farmers and contractors with the same determination that guarantees employees’ salaries, and clarifying that paying the dues of these segments is a necessity for getting the economy moving, achieving food and social security, completing service projects, and providing job opportunities.