Abadi flies to Munich for security conference
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. File Photo.
Government-run newspaper AlSabah said Abadi is heading a high-profile delegation at the conference’s 53rd edition of the Munich Security Conference, which lasts for two days in the presence of 500 political figures who are tackling politics, security and reconstruction issues.
Abadi is scheduled to deliver a speech elaborating his government’s accomplishments in the war against Islamic State extremists, as well as lobbying military, economic and humanitarian support for his country.
“Terrorism and reconstruction of liberated areas will be on top of Abadi;s agenda in Munich,” AlSabah said.
“On the sidelines of the conference, Abadi will meet with heads of states and officials from participating countries, including U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and German Chancellor Angela Merkel,” according to the paper.
Abadi’s government is engaged in a tremendous fight against Islamic State militants who took over large areas of the country in 2014 to proclaim a self-styled “Islamic Caliphate”. The government, backed by a U.S.-led, 65-state international military coalition, is currently pressing with a major offensive to drive the group out of Mosul, its biggest bastion in Iraq. But besides military support, Iraq and parties in the international community have called for non-military support in terms of humanitarian assistance and help to reconstruct areas damaged by IS occupation.