The Rafidain Centre for Dialogue RCD held its seminar entitled "Iraqi-British Relations: Reality and Prospects for Cooperation", which was held at the Sergio de Mello Hall in the Center building, and was lectured by His Excellency Ambassador (Stephen Hickey) The United Kingdom Ambassador to Iraq, in which he reviewed important files and issues in relations between the Republic of Iraq and the United Kingdom, most notably security cooperation in general and within the framework of the international coalition in particular, and addressed the possibility of the United Kingdom helping Iraq in the economic and political field, and resolving anding crises He also praised the Rafidain Center for Dialogue for its initiatives regarding intellectual and dialogue activities between cultural, academic and political elites, and below are the talking points at the symposium:

Conclusions:

1-      Relations between the Republic of Iraq and the United Kingdom have had a common history that brought the two countries together in several stations, some of which were negative and others positive. Today, Britain looks forward to establishing a close relationship with Iraq and supporting it in overcoming the crises that have hit it.

2-      In the field of security, Britain has provided support to Iraq within the framework of the international coalition to fight ISIS, and was the second country in this alliance after the United States of America, so security cooperation after 2014 is at a good level and the two countries look forward to consolidating this cooperation.

3-      Britain wants to erase the history of negative interventions by the West in general and Britain in particular in Iraq, and seeks to have a positive intervention, support, and at Iraq's request through its official institutions.

4-      Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi's visit to Britain was important for the development of relations between the two countries, as demonstrated by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's statement of his desire and responsibility to support Iraq.

5-      There is cooperation between the British government and the Ministry of Finance represented by its Minister Dr. Ali Allawi as part of the reforms put forward by Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi. Britain has also helped establish the "Economic Contact Group for Iraq" to help Iraq benefit from IMF assistance.

6-       Britain is seeking to help Iraq in the health field by coordinating the agreement between the Iraqi government, Astra Zenica and Oxford University to provide a vaccine against Corona virus in the next three months. In addition, Britain has provided 17 million pounds to support the Iraqi government in the reconstruction of cities liberated from the terrorist organization ISIS.

7-      The coming months will see a gradual withdrawal of the international coalition from Iraq, and there will be a new alternative formation and structure for this alliance, with the task of coordinating, advising and sharing intelligence information.

Recommendations:

1-       There must be a development in relations between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Iraq and cooperation at various levels, depending on Iraq's progress in imposing security, seeking stability and building a strong state with solid institutions. Without security, problems will continue, and obstacles to stability will abound.

2-      What is encouraging for the positive British mediation between the center and the region is the need for an economic agreement on the export of oil between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government, to be a prelude to the political agreement on more than one outstanding issue between the two governments, particularly the Sinjar issue.

3-      Summoning an external party should not be the first step in resolving internal crises, but rather the initial solution to all crises should be from inside Iraq and with purely Iraqi efforts.