Shafaq News/ Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani participated, on Sunday, in the Summit of the Future 2024, held in New York on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, as per the PM media office.
The summit aims to enhance global cooperation, address gaps in international governance, and reaffirm commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the United Nations Charter. It also sought to lay the groundwork for more effective global collaboration in addressing current challenges and future threats.
According to the media office, “In his address, Prime Minister Al-Sudani reiterated Iraq’s dedication to sustainable development through comprehensive reforms, aligning with the National Development Plan (2024–2028),” emphasizing Iraq’s commitment to achieving the SDGs and outlined key initiatives focused on economic reform and social justice.”
The Prime Minister highlighted Iraq’s efforts to improve conditions for vulnerable populations, with a particular focus on youth and women. This includes promoting social justice, strengthening human resource capacities through enhanced education and healthcare, and adopting a strategy aimed at supporting the most vulnerable segments of society.
“Al-Sudani stressed Iraq’s commitment to addressing climate challenges, particularly combating drought and desertification, and ensuring the sustainability of water resources and food security,” calling for “effective international cooperation under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, and emphasized the need to prioritize Iraq for climate financing due to its vulnerability to environmental changes. Iraq has already begun implementing its commitments as outlined in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) document.”
The Prime Minister also underscored the importance of diversifying Iraq’s economy beyond oil. “He called for investments aimed at fostering private sector growth, creating job opportunities, and supporting renewable energy projects,” highlighting Iraq’s efforts to provide incentives for the private sector and the need for ambitious investments to drive sustainable development.
In terms of international relations, Al-Sudani reaffirmed Iraq’s commitment to building partnerships based on mutual respect and shared interests. He emphasized the principle of not allowing Iraq’s territory to be used for aggression against other nations, highlighting the country’s focus on maintaining peace and security. The Prime Minister also expressed Iraq’s strong support for advancing human rights and involving civil society organizations in achieving development goals.
Al-Sudani emphasized the need for enhanced international cooperation in ensuring comprehensive security, including land, sea, cyber, and space security. He called for a shared international effort in addressing global security challenges. Furthermore, he stressed that science and technology are crucial to sustainable development, noting Iraq’s plans to transition to a digital economy and create an integrated database to support decision-making. The Prime Minister also called for increased international collaboration in technology transfer and capacity building, and he emphasized Iraq’s support for inventors and scientific research, especially in clean technologies for oil and gas.
In terms of youth development, the Prime Minister highlighted Iraq’s efforts to create a supportive environment for young people by organizing workshops and providing educational opportunities. He reaffirmed Iraq’s cooperation with the United Nations in developing measurement indicators for youth development and providing training programs to equip youth with the necessary skills for the modern job market.
Al-Sudani also discussed the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI), stressing the importance of adopting clear strategies for the ethical use of AI for the benefit of humanity. He called for international cooperation to ensure countries have the tools and capacities to harness AI responsibly.
Lastly, the Prime Minister called for reforms to international institutions to enhance their representation and capacity to address global challenges. He reaffirmed Iraq’s commitment to improving public sector governance, fighting corruption, removing obstacles to private sector growth, and accelerating digital transformation. Al-Sudani emphasized the importance of cooperation with the international community to address global challenges and contribute to building a more sustainable future for all.
In conclusion, Al-Sudani stressed the urgent need to end the ongoing aggression against Gaza and Lebanon, calling for collective efforts to restore peace and stability in the region and beyond.