By NNN-KUNA,
Baghdad : Iraq is not in need of aid and financial donations but technical support to make good use of its resources, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh said.
“Iraq is a wealthy country and does not need financial aid but a geniune partnership with the international community to develop its capabilities and technical skills to invest its resources,” Saleh told the opening session of the seventh round of the donor countries’ conference, organised by one of the UN special committees, here Monday.
He said the donors’ conference reflected the international community’s growing confidence in the security and economic achievements in Iraq.
Iraq’s Minister of Planning and Cooperation Ali Baban said the Baghdad government was conducting a wide-scale economic development scheme which would pave way for greater role for the private sector.
He called on the donor countries to invest in Iraq.
Up to 25 Arab and Western countries contributed, following the collapse of the Saddam Hussein regime, to establish a reconstruction fund for Iraq. Contributions in the fund totalled USD 1.8 billion.
The meeting is the first to be held in Baghdad. The first meeting was held in Madrid on Oct 23, 2003, the second Abu Dhabi on Feb 28, 2004, the third in Doha on May 25, 2004 while the fourth was held in Tokyo on Oct 13, 2004. The fifth was held in the Dead Sea on July 18, 2005 while the sixth was held in Istanbul on March 19, 2007.