Published: December 14, 2005
International Community Stepping Up To Help Iraq, Rice Says
By David Shelby, Washington File
Secretary of state says international consensus sees Iraq's success as essential
Washington - There is a growing consensus in the international community that the establishment of democracy in Iraq is essential, and more countries are stepping up to provide political, economic and strategic support to make this happen, according to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
"Today the world is more united than ever in support of a new Iraq. In just two days, when Iraqis make history by electing the most democratic leaders in the entire Middle East, they will do so with the moral and financial and diplomatic backing of an overwhelming majority of the world," Rice told an audience at Washington's Heritage Foundation December 13.
After highlighting the political, economic and security challenges in Iraq, Rice spoke about how the international community is stepping up to support the Iraqis through their democratic transition. (See Iraq's Political Process.)
The secretary praised the coalition partners, some 30 nations that are providing more than 22,000 troops to the security operations, calling them "nations that were united by the shared conviction that liberty is not a scarce possession to be selfishly hoarded. Rather it is a universal right that all free peoples must defend."
She said that coalition partners and other nations are contributing to security efforts by providing equipment, emergency health care, military training and landmine removal. She added that Iraqi forces are becoming increasingly capable of providing for their own security needs, freeing up coalition forces to support institution-building efforts.
On the economic front, the secretary noted that 40 countries and international institutions participated in the 2003 Madrid donors' conference, pledging some $13.5 billion to Iraqi reconstruction, and she said the donors are making good on their pledges, supporting water projects, health care facilities, school renovation and housing projects.
In addition, she said an Iraq reconstruction fund facility under the control of the World Bank and the United Nations now has attracted more than $1 billion in donations from 25 countries. She also noted that the Paris Club of creditor nations agreed to write off 80 percent of the $40 billion in Iraqi debt it holds.
The Paris Club is an informal group of creditor countries whose members include many of the world's wealthiest nations. The 19 Paris Club permanent members, all governments with large claims on various other governments throughout the world, include Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Rice said the Iraqi people are making good use of the economic opportunities resulting from the international assistance. "They have started three times as many businesses in two and a half years of freedom as they did in four whole decades of tyranny," she said.
The secretary also spoke of the growing international political cooperation in support of Iraq. She said members of the U.N. Security Council have provided unanimous support to almost all of the resolutions regarding Iraqi security, and that Iraq's neighbors have recognized its legitimately elected leaders and offered support for a national reconciliation dialogue.
"Today countries that previously doubted the promise of democracy in Iraq are rallying to Iraq's side," she said. "The Iraqi people are seizing an unprecedented opportunity to live at last in peace and freedom, and their democratic example is inspiring impatient patriots in places like Lebanon and Egypt and the Palestinian territories - courageous men and women who are now finding ever more supporters in the international community to champion their aspirations and defend their dignity."
"When America leads with principle in the world, freedom's cause grows stronger. ... We're seeing this today as the world awakens to the promise of a free Iraq," she said.
For additional information, see Iraq Update.
Source: U.S. Department of State
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