Her Excellency Janin Blaschart, the UN Special Representative in Iraq, emphasized during her speech at the 6th Baghdad International Dialogue Conference that Iraq now occupies a central position in regional stability and that Baghdad has become a trusted platform for dialogue and investment after years of challenges and transformations.
Blaschart stated that holding the conference in Baghdad represents an important opportunity to enhance regional connectivity and integration, noting that the historic and culturally rich capital has become a suitable arena for building understanding and exchanging ideas among various regional and international actors.
She added that Iraq today has the capacity to act as a positive force in the region, stressing the importance of domestic stability first, not only to serve the Iraqi people but also to support regional stability and encourage foreign investors and the private sector to engage in development projects.
Blaschart explained that building trust between countries and partners is essential for progress at both the regional and international levels, noting that this trust requires continuous effort and self-reflection, while acknowledging that past legacies still impact the present.
She continued that Iraq today is very different from the Iraq of two decades ago, and even from the Iraq she witnessed in 2018, affirming that the positive transformations since the formation of the government in October 2022 demonstrate Iraq’s great potential to serve as a hub for dialogue and sustainable development in the region.
She emphasized that strengthening this role requires creating an enabling environment with the participation of all actors, both inside and outside Iraq, noting that no government can act alone and that everyone bears the responsibility to support stability rather than hinder it.
Blaschart noted that regional coordination is a key tool for addressing complex challenges, and that cooperation among states contributes to security, stability, and shared development opportunities. She added that the conference comes at a time of heightened security tensions in the region, including the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which calls for maximum restraint, respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and good neighborliness, as well as the effective use of existing diplomatic mechanisms.
She concluded her remarks by underlining Iraq’s central role in regional stability, highlighting Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani’s vision of building relationships based on common interests, and positioning Iraq as a platform for dialogue and regional integration rather than a ground for conflict, thereby promoting peace, security, and prosperity for all.
