The President of the Republic: Basra is the Economic Capital of Iraq and a Leverage and Guarantee of its Prosperity

H.E. Dr. Barham Salih the President of the Republic on Tuesday, 9 October, 2018, affirmed that the issue of Basra and the end of its suffering is the priority and interests of his Excellency, emphasizing the need for Basra to be the actual economic capital of all Iraq by all standards, a leverage and guarantee its prosperity, and a protection of its future. 
During a press conference following his meeting with the delegation of Basra province, headed by Mr. Asaad al-Eidani  the Governor, the directors of the provincial departments, and Basra’s official figures who came to congratulate the President on assuming his presidential duties, His Excellency clarified that he follows with great interest and is kept posted on the needs and demands of the people of the province of Basra and their suffering as well as their aspirations, and he plans to work on more than one level to attain them. The President expressed his full intention to cooperate with the next government to achieve a series of actual actions.
His Excellency stressed on the need to activate the laws on Basra as well as the law of water resources and work to resolve the problems of water, electricity, housing, unemployment, river dredging, construction of schools, and provide the required security personnel on the immediate term as well as the strategic one, expressing his strong confidence that Basra can be made as a cultural capital of the Islamic world.
The President affirmed that he is determined to organize a national dialogue to tackle the problems suffered by the provinces, on top of them Basra and Mosul. He indicated the need to implement the provisions of the Constitution, which concerns the provinces and determine the relationship between the federal ministries and local governments and organize the launch of their budgets in a timely manner and not to be impeded.
President Barham Salih expressed his interest in mobilizing regional and international support to address the water issue and encourage investments to rebuild Basra and modernize it on all levels in the hope that it will return to be the Gulf’s most important metropolis as it was throughout history. He called on the province authorities to submit accurate and objective plans for the province’s needs and the projects required to face all the difficulties currently facing the province. 
For their part, the governor of Basra and members of the delegation reviewed the problems and obstacles currently facing Basra in all fields, expressing their strong hope of His Excellency’s capability of to effectively contributing to the progress towards the stage of reconstruction, development, and decent life.

Presedent