Friday, April 17, 2015
Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi met Thursday with Vice President Joseph Biden, senior international development officials and United States business representatives, and spoke at prominent think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C. Read the speech here.
Look back on the Prime Minister’s visit via Prime Minister Abadi’s (@HaiderAlAbadi), Ambassador Faily’s (@FailyLukman) and the Embassy of Iraq’s (@IraqiEmbassyUSA) coverage on Twitter.
And learn more about the progresses of Iraq’s new government and the fight against ISIS from the Embassy of Iraq’s new infographics.
Here are today’s highlights:
TIME: 100 Most Influential People: Iraq’s new hope
By David Cameron, April 16
In just seven months Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has put in place a genuinely inclusive government, filled all Cabinet positions for the first time in six years and shown his deep commitment to fighting ISIL [or ISIS] and building a stronger, more united Iraq. He is a driven, charismatic and pragmatic man, a Baghdad-trained engineer with a doctorate earned in Manchester, England. This has shone through in the ambitious work his government is pursuing. Great progress has already been made to repair regional relations, tackle corruption and instigate political, security and economic reform. He has one of the world’s most challenging roles. He is the right man for it.
The Washington Post: Iraqi prime minister asks for ‘sustainable support’ from the U.S.
By Karen DeYoung, April 16
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Wednesday that his country needs “sustainable support . . . that we can rely on” from the United States, including heavy weapons and tanks. Speaking to a small group of reporters on his first official visit here, Abadi said that airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition aiding Iraq’s fight against the Islamic State were “crucial.”
AFP: Iraq PM vows to end sectarian divisions at end of US visit
By Jo Biddle, April 16
Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi wrapped up his inaugural visit to the US on Thursday, winning pledges that long-delayed F-16 fighter jets will soon be delivered and vowing to calm the sectarian tensions dividing his country.
CSIS: Statesmen's Forum: Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi
April 16
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) hosted Prime Minister Al-Abadi for a discussion on the future of Iraq. The Prime Minister delivered remarks on Winning the War, Winning the Peace: A Holistic Strategy for Iraq, discussing, among other points: “Our goal is not only to liberate Mosul and Anbar from the barbarism of Daesh, but also to restore a level of civilization worthy of our people, our history and our heritage. That is why all the legs of the strategic stool – humanitarian, infrastructure, as well as military – must be in place before our government moves to liberate these areas. We must be fully prepared not only to retake Mosul, but to rebuild it.”
Newsweek: OP-Ed: To Defeat ISIS, Obama Needs to Reinforce Abadi
By Hardin Lang and Peter Juul, April 15
Tikrit uncovered the limits of the militias’ prowess and the indispensability of U.S. airpower. Abadi’s trip offers an important opportunity to ensure that the U.S.-led coalition efforts to defeat ISIS strengthen Abadi’s government and keep Iraq together rather than break it apart.
U.S. Department of State: Deputy Secretary Blinken and Iraqi Prime Minister Abadi Brief the Plenary Meeting of the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL
Office of the Spokesperson, April 15
Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi to the State Department to brief senior diplomatic representatives from among the 62 members of the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL. This plenary session was an opportunity for Coalition partners to reaffirm our support for Iraqi-led efforts to reclaim territory from ISIL, and our support for the Iraqi people as they are rescued from ISIL control and forge a more inclusive and durable political order.
Click here to see more coverage of Prime Minister Abadi’s visit.