Foreign Minister Stubb to attend the International Iraq Compact Annual Review Conference in Stockholm

Press release 179/2008
27 May, 2008

Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb will attend the first high-level International Iraq Compact Annual Review Conference, to be held in Stockholm on Thursday, 29 May 2008.

The International Compact with Iraq, the ICI, is an initiative of the Iraqi Government, supported by the United Nations. Within the framework of the ICI, Iraq is committed to a comprehensive reform programme for the political, economic and security sectors, and the international community is committed to supporting implementation of the reform programme. The initiative was prepared during Finland’s Presidency of the EU and was launched in Egypt in May 2007.

The first ministerial-level annual review conference of this five-year initiative will be hosted by Sweden. The conference will be co-chaired by Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki of Iraq and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The conference in Stockholm will review the implementation of the initiative in the light of advancement of the Iraqi Government’s reform programme and realisation of the international community’s pledges of support. The aim is to encourage the Iraqi Government to work more actively, especially as regards promotion of national reconciliation and human rights.

Finland has provided a total of more than 20 million euros in support for Iraq since 2003. The sum includes reconstruction support channelled mainly through the UN, humanitarian aid and various civilian crisis management projects. Finland is a staunch supporter of the UN’s work in Iraq and, for instance, has financed the UN’s security arrangements in Iraq.

Additional information : Juha Kirstilä, Press Attaché to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 9 1605 5012; Jori Arvonen, Senior Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 9 160 55016; and Counsellor Leena Pylvänäinen, Unit for the Middle East and North Africa, tel. +358 9 1605 6278