Hayder al-KhoeiVerified account

Barham Salih: Corruption is the economy of violence, if we can’t end corruption we can’t end violence. It hasn’t been addressed institutionally. #SuliForum #SuliForum19

Barham Salih: 4 generations in Iraq haven’t known stability. No country has gone through what Iraq has gone through. #SuliForum #SuliForum19

Barham Salih: Ethnosectarianism will remain in Iraq. People are proud of their identity but identity politics no longer drives Iraqi politics. Citizens in Basra, Baghdad, Mosul and Sulaimani all want the same thing: freedom, dignity and good governance. #SuliForum #SuliForum19

Barham Salih: Historically, Iraq has been an arena where regional states settle their scores. Can Iraq turn into an arena for agreements and peace between these regional powers? I think so. #SuliForum #SuliForum19

Barham Salih: Enough with paying with valuable resources and lives for regional conflicts. We respect our neighbours and have strong relations with them but we must put the interest of our country and people first. #SuliForum #SuliForum19

Barham Salih: The victory that has been achieved in Iraq is fragile. We understand other states have their own foreign policies but we do not want Iraq to become a base for an attack against anyone from anyone. Do not burden Iraq with your own conflicts. #SuliForum #SuliForum19

Barham Salih: Iraqi society has progressed more than Iraqi politics. #SuliForum #SuliForum19

UN Iraq envoy @JeanineHennis: Corruption is pervasive in all levels in Iraq. Only two countries in the world are more corrupt than Iraq. Donors are getting tired of fighting the system to help the country. #SuliForum #SuliForum19

Ayad Allawi: We won the military war against ISIS but we haven’t defeated the ideology. We cannot have stability in Iraq if we don’t end political sectarianism. #SuliForum #SuliForum19

Amre Moussa: We have never doubted, even during the worst times, that Iraq is an important Arab power. Iraq is an essential part of the Arab League, Arab world and Arab society. #SuliForum #SuliForum19

Excellent question by Najwa Qassim: Does a stable, strong Iraq benefit Arab states or do some Arab states benefit from a weak Iraq? #SuliForum #SuliForum19

Debate rages during lunch break on whether the presence of Americans, Turks, Iranians and half the Iraqi government makes #SuliForum now the safest place to be in Iraq or the most dangerous?

UK Ambassador to Iraq @JonWilksFCO: Iraq wants good relations with both Iran and the U.S. but to achieve this Iraq must be clear what the Iraqi national interest is. #SuliForum #SuliForum19

U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Iraq and Iran Andrew Peek: Iraq cannot have violent actors not in control of the Iraqi state. We want Iraq to be a normal country, not a playground for outside powers. #SuliForum #SuliForum19

Advisor to Iraq PM Laith Kubba: Iraq lacks the capacity to do this now but the country is evolving and wants to become an actor in the region. Iraqis want to contribute to the region, independently. #SuliForum #SuliForum19

Robin Wright: How long will it take for Iraq to get to a position where it can exert itself and Iraqis can tell others we are the boss here? #SuliForum #SuliForum19

Robin Wright is a no nonsense chair: “But what does that mean?” “Be more specific” “You haven’t answered the question” “Abbboout?” #SuliForum #SuliForum19

Al Ketbi: Iran doesn’t want a normal relationship with Iraq. Iran fears a strong Iraq and wants to keep it weak. #SuliForum #SuliForum19

Former Iraq PM Abadi: I respect Qasim Soleimani because he serves his country well. He looks for his state’s interests, not mine. We should do the same. #SuliForum #SuliForum19

Abadi: There was not a single incident between the Iraqi Army and Peshmerga during the liberation of Mosul. There has been a massive transformation in our relationships. #SuliForum #SuliForum19

Abadi: We liberated our lands from ISIS but Iraq still needs training, logistical and intelligence support to fight terrorism #SuliForum #SuliForum19

Electricity Minister @AL_Khatteeb: Iraq needs to chart a strategic course to create real partnerships with our neighbours in the energy-trade-water nexus. Instability in Iraq will backfire on our neighbours. #SuliForum #SuliForum19

Jordanian Minister of Trade Tariq al-Hammouri: Fighting extremism can’t just be done with weapons. Extremism is an idea that we must combat with knowledge, growth, and development. #SuliForum #SuliForum19

Khatteeb: Iran provides Iraq with energy that we cannot replace with any other neighbour in the short term. It will take us two years to find an alternative source to meet our demands. #SuliForum #SuliForum19

Khatteeb: Iraq fought a devastating war against terrorism. The least our neighbours can do is show solidarity with us and help us rebuild our country. Iraqis paid a heavy price on behalf of the entire region. #SuliForum #SuliForum19

That Abadi, a smart, capable leader who united Iraq in defeating ISIS, believes — and adamantly insists — only 8 (eight!) women and children were killed during the liberation of Mosul is actually quite scary. #SuliForum #SuliForum19