The Rafidain Dialogue Center (RCD) organized a symposium entitled "Iraqi-European Cooperation: Vision and Partnership Prospects", held at sergio de Mello Hall at RCD's headquarters, lectured by Mr. Martin Huth, Ambassador of the European Union in Iraq. The lecturer reviewed the European Union's policy towards Iraq, in which Mr. Huth pointed out that it stems from two aspects, the first is valuables and the second is political, because Iraq represents a neighbor of the European Union and that any change in it affects the European Union, especially the issue of migration. The ambassador also addressed the European Union's vision of the internal situation in Iraq, stressing the need for economic reform and effective political dialogue, but with regard to the regional side, Ambassador Huth believes that Iraq's position as a buffer state helps to play a positive role leading to the flourishing of the country. At the end of the symposium, the lecturer listened to the interventions and questions of the audience, a group of scientific, academic and cultural elites in Najaf.

Below are the most important outcomes of the symposium:

1-       The EU's policy towards Iraq stems from the fact that it has become a neighbor of the European Union due to technological development and the speed of transportation and communications, so what is happening to Iraq affects the European Union.

2-       The waves of refugees that arrived in the European Union several years ago prompt the countries of the Union to think about what would happen if the situation in Iraq worsened and pushed Iraqis to emigrate, especially since the population of Iraq is about forty million people.

3-       Iraq's position as a buffer state between two regional powers, Iranians and Arabs or between Sunnis and Shiites, can exercise positive neutrality by being a prosperous state that benefits from its good relations with all.

4-      Iraq needs at the internal level to hold a national dialogue that brings together all Iraqis, so that it can rise after decades of ruin and social fission, such a dialogue must cover all Iraqi components and aim to achieve the public interest, and the European Union as a friend will support such a dialogue.

5-      The European Union will support Iraq's efforts to hold elections in June 2021 by supporting the Electoral Commission and providing funding for efforts to make the elections a success.

6-      The Iraqi economy needs comprehensive reform, it cannot continue in this way, and the reforms required will be painful, the loss of trust between citizens and the political class requires the forces of social influence to play a role in convincing citizens of the need to adopt such reforms for the benefit of the country.

7-      There is a need in Iraq to develop vocational and technical education, because the future of young people will be in employment in private sector institutions that can flourish.

8-      The Iraqi government must introduce the principle of transparency in the presentation of the budget, so that citizens can clearly see the government's expenditures, which helps to create trust between the two parties.

9-      The government's White Paper represents an important opportunity to achieve economic reform and maximize state resources, and its success depends on cooperation between the Iraqi government and all those interested in the future of Iraq.

10-   EU member states have provided assistance to Iraq to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic, and reports indicate that Iraq is dealing more professionally with the pandemic.

11-    The European Union assists Iraq in environmental and cultural projects such as preserving cultural heritage in the ancient cities of Basra and Mosul through cooperation with UNESCO.