Abdullatif Jamal Rashid, President of Iraq, thanked the United Nations for its role in supporting and defending the democratic system in his country, adding that Iraq has gained its rightful place in the international community and with its neighbours, as it chairs the current session of the Arab league and Group of 77 and China.  It also plays effective roles in several international organizations, he said, adding:  “We stand ready to play the part of the intersection between East and West.”  Holding the seventh iteration of local and parliamentary elections in coming weeks, he said Iraq has “become a beacon of hope”, courtesy of the great sacrifice by the Iraqi people, with their resolve to ensure coexistence and respect for pluralism.  He expressed his country’s support for the UN80 initiative, standing ready to discuss the potential hosting of United Nations regional and international headquarters in Iraq to show commitment to international cooperation and “to play our part in strengthening the UN”.

Highlighting his Government’s victory over the threat of terrorism, he looked forward “to wiping out the last vestige of […] barbaric terrorist attacks”, being reliant on “the unity of our people and the establishment of development plans to heal the wounds of the past and pave the way for a promising future”.  Noting that, even though terrorism takes on various slogans and manifestations, it is but one scourge and should therefore be countered comprehensively without distinction.  Thus, the international community should implement all relevant Security Council resolutions and hold accountable funders of terrorism and those who allow transfer of terrorists.  He committed to return displaced persons to their homes, particularly through reconstructing liberated areas and reassuring all components of the community, especially the victims that “this will no longer be repeated”.

Also, the country’s diversity will be protected so that “our citizens will remain in our country on the land of their fathers and forefathers”, he said.  He further spotlighted the imperatives of pursuing sustainable socioeconomic investments by diversifying the economy and strengthening investments in capacities to pave the way for a reduction in reliance on oil, urging the international community to strike fruitful partnerships and support the recovery of stolen funds.  With the first census held in many years revealing a population of 46 million and an annual growth of 1 million, Iraq is faced with both opportunities and challenges, he noted, calling for international support for his Government’s plans to provide development and address rising employment needs.

Turning to climate change, he underscored the imperative of committing to the principle of common but differentiated responsibility, particularly in the sharing and management of the basins of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers with Türkiye and Iran, including Syria.  He further called for a just end to the Palestinian situation, welcoming the international recognition of the State of Palestine.  He also called for a Middle East free of nuclear weapons and underscored the territorial integrity of Syria, urging that government to respect pluralism and religious freedoms for all its components.  He rejected the illicit use of its airspace in military operations between warring parties in the region and underscored full support for the peace process in Türkiye, as well as the decision by the Kurdistan Workers Party to lay down their arms.  “We are not calling for sympathy, but rather partnership – a partnership to heal our land, to secure our rivers, to safeguard our security, to empower our youth and to ensure the unity of our region, instead of division,” he said.