By Pratheeksha Gopinath
Finally, fortune beamed upon Iraq as relief made its way in the form of a $30 billion pledge at the global donor conference. A victim of the philandering effects of ISIS, Iraq was in a desperate need of monetary relief. Having succumbed to the appalling rule of the Islamic State, Iraq was grappling with the abject need for restoration. Faced with the dearth of funds, Iraq was unable to undertake restoration activities in the state. The neighbouring countries of Iraq are proving to be of some help in this regard.
International Donors Conference (Kuwait, 2018)
On Monday, 14th February, Kuwait, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Qatarthe neighbouring countries of Iraqdecided to extend their help in the form of a monetary pledge. The pledge amounting to $30 billion is an amalgam of grant, loans and investment agreements. However, it was bewildering to find the US (which had its presence in Iraq from 2003 to 2011) keeping itself aloof from the restoration activities. The US, which had lead Iraqs air combat against ISIS, vehemently refused to donate at the conference. The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres lauded Iraq for its undeterred war against the Islamic State and urged all countries to provide funds for reconstruction purposes. He opined that the entire world was indebted to Iraq as it thwarted a global menace namely, Daesh. He called upon the international community at the International Donors Conference to demonstrate its support to the people of Iraq.
Bhagdad is currently in need of $90 billion for the cause of reconstruction in the aftermath of the air combat. Turkey promised a $5 billion pledge in the form of loans and investments. Saudi Arabia, the largest donor, pledged $1billion in various investment projects in Iraq. It agreed to extend a monetary support of $500million, for the improvement of the export sector of Iraq. Qatar, on the other hand, wants to provide an aid of $1 billion in loans and investments. Kuwait, the host country, agreed upon a $2 billion pledge in loans and investments. Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah proclaimed that $1 billion would be in the form of loans, while the other half of the pledge would constitute investments on developmental initiatives in the crisis-hit country. Australia too expressed its solidarity with a pledge of $18 million.
IS leaves its ugly mark on Iraq
Iraq, having been in a war-zone for the past three years, finally declared triumph against Daesh (the Arabic acronym for Islamic State) in December 2017.The extremist group had laid siege to Iraq in 2014 and had captured a third of its territory. Intending to establish `Caliphate Rule, the IS had also seized some swathes of Syria. The encumbering establishment of Islamic State proved to be a major obstacle to the growth and development of Iraq. Engulfed in political turmoil, the GDP growth rates came down drastically. The whole country was driven to a standstill with the malevolent Caliphate Rule. Beginning to be a matter of global concern, the US took the initiative to arrest the further growth of IS. Establishing its military presence in Iraq, the United States spearheaded the war against global terrorism. The US leading Iraqs air combat against IS took three excruciating years to drive the malignant group out of the state.
The havoc-wreaking air combat had devastating repercussions in the state. Hospitals, airports, and government buildings were turned to mere dust. ISISs bomb-making capacity left Iraq in ruins. Hundreds of lives were lost and the initial donations were utilised for medical aid and temporary shelters. People were rendered homeless with the deadly bombs being dropped on their heads. The prolonged wars left people stranded in their very own homeland. Frustrated by the state of day-to-day affairs, people took to brutal street fights. The Caliphate rule finally ended with IS losing large swathes of land. Now the IS fighters, being less than 1000 in number, are restricted to small areas of Syria and Iraq and a tiny strip of Euphrates.
Iraqs quest to restore peace
Qusay Adulfattah, the head of Iraqs planning ministry, gave a rough estimate of a $20 billion aid that was required for short-term reconstruction purposes. Thrice the estimated amount was needed for medium-term restoration activities. The Iraqi Government is racing against time in its quest to restore peace in the troubled state. It is currently pinning its hopes on the diversification of crude oil sales, which forms the major source of revenue to the government. The $30 billion pledge would meet only one-third of the long-term monetary needs of Iraq. Unmas, the UNs mine clearance agency, has the perilous task of locating and deactivating booby traps planted by the IS in its areas of control. The immediate deactivation of the booby traps has to be undertaken in order to facilitate the safe return of Iraqis to their place of dwellings.
Mr Pehr Lodhammar, the head of Unmas, called upon the donors to rise to the occasion and pump more money. Mr Lodhammar threw light upon the dearth of funds for the undertaking of this laborious process. It needs three times as much the money as is being currently promised for it to complete the work chalked out for this year. Mr Lodhammar highlighted the paucity of funds which is just amounting to $116 million. In the wake of continued lack of funds, Unmas would have to negotiate with the government of Iraq. If the terms arent renegotiated with immediate effect, then Unma would have to reassess its priorities.
Battling against the evil of corruption
The main challenge in front of Iraq is the efficacy with which the Iraqi government can turn these pledges into liquid cash. Given the despicable levels of corruption in the war-battered country, it would be an arduous process to ensure the proper usage of the cash. Tough times lie ahead of the war-afflicted nation as corruption is deep-rooted in the system. It would indeed be a taxing process for Prime Minister Haider-al-Abadi, who has the responsibility of purging the nation of corrupt officials.
The festering wound of corruption at all levels of the bureaucratic hierarchy has to be dealt with. The Prime Minister has to ensure that the money being pledged is not syphoned away by corrupt bureaucrats. Having attained the appalling designation of the 10th most corrupt nation in the world from `The NPG Transparency International, Iraq has a hindered journey ahead of it. The nation embroiled in the mire of theft, fraud, and political instability is currently skating on thin ice. The immediate restoration of peace has become indispensable, as Iraqis are currently in a very precarious position. If peace isnt restored immediately, then there is the looming danger of the government giving way to anarchy.
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