President Rashid’s Speech at The Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Baku, Azerbaijan

Iraq is emerging from the global pandemic crisis, addressing the social contract, rendering better public services, and adapting to structural changes including digital transformation, economic diversification, policy changes, and combating common challenges through collective efforts. 
The global pandemic taught us valuable lessons, hence post-pandemic recovery should focus on a new social contract, reducing inequality, public access to adequate health care, quality education, income-generating measures, clean air, adequate water, as well as the construction of necessary public infrastructure.
The Iraqi government is taking the issues of climate change very seriously, including food security, water scarcity, and climate-induced displacement. Our country is bearing the brunt of climate change challenges; extreme weather conditions including floods, droughts, dust storms, and rising temperatures coupled with inadequate infrastructure are affecting social stability in Iraq. We must act now, and prioritise support for affected communities, build-resilience, raise public awareness, provide emergency assistance, support the agricultural sector, and modernise the water management systems.
It is our collective responsibility to address the root causes of climate change through sensible policies, allocation of appropriate funds, building regional and international partnerships, and implementing necessary measures to minimise the risks.
Iraq had its fair share of wars and destructions at great cost to human lives, resources, and reputation. If there is one valuable lesson that we have learned from our bitter experiences of decades of successive military conflicts, it is that only through peaceful dialogues can meaningful solutions be achieved. We must give peace a chance, engage in constructive dialogue and combine efforts to eradicate violent extremism.
Iraq is ready to reclaim its positive role on the regional and global stage, from hosting sports tournaments, building international partnerships, adhering to international treaties, and attracting foreign investment, to collaboration on regional security, the environment, and contribution to global energy security.
The new Iraq aspires to become a unifying force for good, bridging the gap between regional powers, building consensus around common challenges such as climate change, the environment, and fighting terrorism. 
The new Iraq works toward strengthening relations with its neighbours based on mutual respect, and through diplomacy, addressing common concerns regarding border security and transboundary water flow to secure adequate water distribution.
Moving beyond healing wounds, and taking advantage of the high oil prices, Iraq’s new phase is marked by stability and economic development, ensuring the public has access to justice, quality education, adequate health services, clean water, food security, and the federal government is committed to rendering better public services and build public infrastructure to meet our citizens’ needs.
It’s our collective duty to ensure that living standards are improved, promoting peace and stability, protecting the environment, diversifying the economy as well as preserving national heritage for future generations.
Significant progress has been made in crude oil production, and Iraq continues to invest in gas processing, refining, and petrochemical industries supported by the appropriate legal framework. Iraq has the potential to become a globally competitive petrochemical industrial centre.
Despite protracted challenges, Iraq has finally entered a new phase, leaving behind decades of wars and destruction, and pursuing its national development vision.
Today, there is a peaceful transfer of power in Iraq, and the political stakeholders are determined to find common ground and build national consensus.

Following the last general elections, the formation of the new Iraqi government took some time, but it yielded good results as we managed to gather support for the government to implement its ambitious ministerial programme including rehabilitation and construction of public infrastructures, addressing the housing shortages and unemployment crisis, as well as initiating long-term strategic projects such as Faw industrial city, public transport, and investment in petrochemical industries.

The Non-Aligned Movement was formed to represent the interests and aspirations of developing countries in the decolonisation process following World War II. One of the fundamental principles of the Non-Aligned Movement was to support national self-determination against all forms of colonialism and imperialism.
Allow me to remind ourselves about Non-Aligned Movement and its principles. It started in 1961 in Belgrade with 120 member states and 20 observer states. The five peaceful coexistence principles are still valid:
Mutual respect for others’ territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Mutual non-aggression.
Mutual non-interference in domestic affairs.
Equality and mutual benefit.
Peaceful co-existence.
So let us all act to re-activate these noble principles and agree to play a positive role on the world stage to achieve all these principles and avoid wars and destruction.

Thank you very much.

Presedent