 Mr. Prime Minister, welcoming you today here means the person who most deserves our support of anybody whom we have seen here this week. We all know how Iraq is confronted with challenges of immense global significance, such as fighting terrorism and providing citizens of different identities and ethnicities with the home of one nation state, showing the power of unity, amid diversity, and cooperation and tolerance over violence and extremism. Mr. Prime Minister, your presence here is also significant as it demonstrates confidence in mastering those challenges. And given all those who are gathered here, to also attracting the attention of the international business community because you need help and investments. Under your leadership, Prime Minister, Iraq is opening new eras of cooperation, and this is an important basis for enhancing trust and understanding at a time when common action is so urgently needed. Let's not forget, Iraq is a rich country, a developed country in many respects, and offers many opportunities across the multitude of sectors. And since taking office five months ago, your vision, your commitment to reform, have great potential to unleash entrepreneurial energy within your country. On behalf of the international community gathered here, it is with an enduring determination that we look to the peaceful and prosperous future of Iraq and its people and its place in the region and the world. Prime Minister, thank you again for joining us here in Davos. The floor is yours, and your speech, your address will be followed by a discussion moderated by my good friend, Charlie Rose. In the name of God, the merciful, the beneficent. Among many of my friends, some I have met before I become Prime Minister, just over four months ago, not five months ago, and I'm looking forward to meet others in the future. Since I became Prime Minister, I had this opportunity to meet with many of you here. We have, in Iraq now, an arms conflict which is threatening our families, our communities and everything we hold dear. As recent events make clear to everybody, terrorism imperils world, whatever our religion is, our region, our race. The Iraqi people are on the front lines of fighting against the best-funded, best-organized, unfortunately without terrorists. Today I have been asked to present a vision for Iraq. My vision includes a coordinated military, political and economical strategy to defeat Daesh, and we can do it. And I also envision an international effort to rebuild Iraq and reconcile our region so that out of our own struggle and suffering, we will triumph over triumph over terrorism with economic development and social inclusion. For Iraq, this is very important time to ask hard questions and make difficult decisions, not only to defeat Daesh, but to build and unite the country with a functioning democracy that upholds the rule of law and still streamlined government, decentralized decision-making and a prosperous economy that offers opportunities for all our people. As a Prime Minister, I'm pursuing a strategy of interdependence instead of state domination with government commanding the economy and Baghdad dominating the government. The public and private sector and the central government and the provinces will work together in partnership. For all our challenges, Iraq still brings great strength to building our future. Our economic fundamentals are strong, one of the world's largest reserves of oil, an educated population, and a rapid growth of economy. Once our current security challenges are overcome, we will fulfill our potential as a business and investment partner. Iraq is an ancient civilization, but a young democracy. Iraq has had accession of free elections last year. In the midst of extremist violence, we manage a peaceful political transition of power in which elected leaders step down to make way for new leadership. For a little more than 100 days, our new government has begun to restructure and reform our armed forces, build better relations with the Kurdish region, work with local tribes to defeat Daesh, reform and decentralize the central government, advance social welfare and individual freedoms, and promote economic reforms and development. We have strengthened relations with our neighbors and coordinated our counter-Daesh with our coalition allies. Only six months ago, Daesh was threatening Baghdad, and our future was uncertain. Today, with the support of our friends and our neighbors with the coalition partners, the world has rallied to Iraq, Daesh momentum has been halted. In actual fact, it has been reversed, and Iraq is retaking our country back. Despite our economic challenges, the Iraqi people feel an extreme sense of urgency, and the government of Iraq feel responsible to liberate every inch of our territory and every segment of our citizenry from Daesh. As I said yesterday at Security Conference in London, when we ask the world community for more support or faster assistance, our determination does not reflect disappointment with the coalition of countries supporting Iraq, but rather the reality that human lives are at stake, and we must act as rapidly and as resolutely as we can. I know that the Iraqi people who are now occupied by Daesh must take the lead in this fight and in liberating their areas, and our government is doing our part to make this possible. When our new government took office in September, we promised to pursue national reconciliation, military and governmental reform, economic and social reconstruction, and regional outreach. We are moving forward on every front. We are also restoring relationships with the Sunni tribes that are based in areas now dominated by Daesh. I have met personally with representatives from provinces of Ambar, Salahuddin, and Mosul, reinforcing air support, increasing armed supplies, and providing for food deliveries. Now many of these tribes are fighting alongside and not against the Iraqi security forces. We will never win on the battlefront if we are crippled by corruption on the home front. We are fighting corruption and incompetency in civil and military institutions. We have removed about two dozen generals as well as 24 senior officers of the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Defense. Our government will spare no effort to ensure that there will be no more ghost soldiers. On the payroll, no more corrupt commanding officers, no more battalions fleeing from the battlefield, and no more corrupt civilians enriching themselves while our soldiers are sacrificing their lives. In order to reinforce the rule of law and protect personal freedom, I have issued an executive order to speed up the release of detainees who have not been charged and establish a central record or registry of those who have been imprisoned. I have met with Iraqi journalists and dropped all pending lawsuits against journalists on behalf of the Prime Minister's office. And because our national defence must build up respect for the rule of law, we are bringing all armed groups under state control. When much of our army collapsed last summer, tens of thousands of volunteers rose to defend their country. Most have fought heroically against Daesh and many have sacrificed their lives. Some however have committed abuses against Iraqi citizens. And I have made clear that this is not tolerated. There is no tolerance for this. In recent weeks, we have detained kidnapping rings and other criminal gangs operating under the guise of volunteer forces, but they were not. These efforts will continue. The National Guard Law will also offer an appropriate legal framework for the brave volunteers to continue to defend our country. We have presented a draft copy now to the Ministerial Council. I hope it will be approved and submitted to parliament. The Iraqi people and their government are doing our part on the battlefield and on the home front, but we cannot and must not meet our challenges alone. We need the international coalition to provide more armaments, conduct more airstrikes and continue training our forces. Which are they are doing? I have noticed an increase in the last two or three weeks, it means somebody is listening. We need our neighbours and allies to help stopping the flow of the fighters to Iraq. And we need the international community through its financial institutions to start Daesh of assets, to freeze funding of Daesh while battling terrorism. Our government is also striving to stabilise our society by diversifying our economy, decentralising decision making, controlling public spending, combating corruption, encouraging foreign investment and restoring our infrastructure. With our reliance on oil revenues for 85 per cent of our budget and the blunge in oil prices to about 40 per cent of what they were last year, our government has had to take a new look at our fiscal policies and our economic prospects. First, we have been forced to turn to new sources of revenues, including taxes. We are re-emphasising the need for customers to pay for basic services, such as electricity, water and roads, through our respective ministries. Second, we have also had to explore alternatives industries to grow the economy, build businesses, generate jobs and this partnership between the private sector and the government sector and raise revenues. As we were one of the most diversified economies in OPEC and we will build a diverse economy again, that is why we are investing in agriculture, petrochemicals and other industries and we have signed now with Shell to build one of the biggest petrochemical factories in Iraq. Third, our government has had to become more efficient. Our government has tried to cut our budget through spending reductions and economic reforms. Leading by example in December, our council of ministers agreed to slash a salary by 50 per cent, including the Prime Minister of course. With 3.5 million government employees, over 2 million state pensioners, we have to cut back. For that reason, we are revising our pension system so that it can support our retirees while being sustainable for our government. Fourth, we are fighting fraud and corruption, not only in the military but in the civil government. When our brave fighters are sacrificing their lives, the least we can ask is that those who have profited at public expense give up their ill-gotten gains. Fifth, we are decentralising government, bringing decision-making and the province provision of public services to the local level, where the people and their public officials best understand what must be done and how to do it. By making government leaner, nimbler and more muscular, we are encouraging economic growth, job creation and foreign investment. With more than a half million high school and university graduates entering the job market every year and unemployment already at 11 per cent among the entire population and 18 per cent among young people, we have to grow our economy and generate jobs. This means encouraging foreign and domestic investment, expanding and creating large and small businesses, and ensuring that government supports not stifles the private economy. We are moving from a state-dominated system to a more vibrant mixed economy. We are privatising key sectors, exploring public-private partnership and entering more joint ventures with international companies. Major oil companies, manufacturers and banks are now investing in Iraq and expanding their operations in our country. Despite the security situation, our gross domestic product is still growing. Our productivity is still increasing. And our international trade is still expanding, and will continue to improve as relations are normalised with our neighbours. But first, after we defeat Daesh, we must rebuild the territories that we will liberate from the terrorists and relieve the suffering of the civilian populations. We have been held hostage, or we have been held hostage by these barbarians. We have developed that the call or we call a whole of government strategy to restore the infrastructure and repair the social fabrics of these areas. In this great endeavour, we will need help from our regions and the international community. While cutting our overall budget, our government has set aside 5 billion Iraqi dinars, which amounts to almost 450 million dollars, to rebuild the devastation caused by Daesh destructive violence. But with all revenues bludgeoning 2 million or more internally displaced persons, and the cost of fighting the most formidable terrorists on earth, we cannot pay the price alone. I have proposed an internationally financed reconstruction fund to rebuild Iraq, especially the areas damaged by Daesh, and serve as a model for assisting our neighbours who are also shouldering the human and economic costs of civil war. Terrorist attacks and the displacement of millions of men, women and children. We have had useful meetings with our friends and neighbours in the Gulf States and with the World Bank. And we are asking our coalition allies and the international business and financial community to help. We have been receiving some positive feedback on this. Therefore, I propose an ongoing conversation among the governmental, religious, economic and civil society leaders in the Middle East to forge a common vision and course of action. This conversation can begin with a conference or anything alike. I know we are working with the UN and with other partners to do this. I suggest back that because this city represents so much of our region's history and our hopes. From resisting Daesh to rebuilding Iraq and reconciling our region, the cost of action will be high. But the cost of inaction will be infinitely much, much higher. Iraq is doing our part in the struggle against violent extremism. For the sake of the world, we love the future we share. We ask all of the international community to do the same. Thank you very much. Thank you for everybody, for everything we will be doing together. Thank you. Again, Mr. Prime Minister, it's clear that you are saying, because of oil prices, because of the challenge, you have to have more money, and that you need more support for troops on the ground. Can't hear. Okay. Closer. It's clear that you are saying that you need economic help because of the fall and oil prices. You need more support for your troops on the ground. Are you getting any assurances from the coalition partners that it will be forthcoming? Well, actually, in the last meeting, which I came from London, and there were … They may want you to hold a mic and make sure that I can … Is it okay now? Yeah. Is there someone wrong with the mic? Not with me. Okay. Okay. In that meeting, I think there were 21 states out of 61 who represent the International Coalition to support Iraq against Daesh. These are the most effective partners, and I have received a very positive response. A natural fact to be clear about this. I know we have been shouting for more support. I said in the past, in the last days and weeks, that we have been receiving very little, and I confirm it was a very, very slow start. Sometimes it's hard, frustrating, and painful. And we had to match. There are two timetables. There is an Iraqi timetable on the ground, and there is a coalition timetable to do with resources, to do with support. And there has been a problem. Now in the last two, three weeks, we have seen a synchronization of effort. I have seen an increase in numbers of airstrikes against Daesh. I have seen more liaison between our commanders on the ground and that of the coalition on the sky, which has helped our forces to perform better. I have received in the last week a quite sizable ammunition and armament supplied to us by our coalition partners, free of charge, which amazes me. Thank you very much. But I think we have been promised that there will be deferment of payment on certain arms sales to Iraq. Of course, we're still waiting to see that. Having said that, I think the challenges are huge. I have to be blunt about this. Our economy cannot sustain two major spending. One is to sustain our society, who are depending on the central budget, and two to sustain this awful war, which has taken a lot of our resources. We need help on this. One of the issues before there was the support that you wanted was a new government in Baghdad, and you are that new government. Does the former prime minister play a role with you in terms of the policy and execution today in Iraq? You know, according to the constitution, I mean, the ex-prime minister who's a friend of mine, he's a colleague, he's in the same party in the same political bloc, he's now happened to be a vice president. And in our constitution, the presidency plays like a role in our country, but not executive. The executive is within the government, and we have regular meetings for the leadership of the country, and we have a very good working relationship among the Iraqi institutions. The executive, which is the government, the presidency, and parliament. And I like that. I think this has benefited us and has facilitated a lot of what we are doing at the moment. What impact might be the change of leadership in Saudi Arabia? Well, I hope to the positive. I think this is life. We have a new government in Iraq. We have many leaders, new leaders in the region. I think a new leader in Saudi Arabia. I hope to bring benefit to everybody. And what new plans? I'm looking forward. I mean, he was a prince when I talked to him two weeks ago about this border incident, and we had a dialogue, good dialogue over the phone, and I hope we can make a very good relationship between our two countries. It is vital. The essential message from my government is that we want very good international relationship with the region is important and vital. Our understanding that Iraq cannot develop without the whole region developing together, and we have to build that trust between us. We are very eager to do that, and they find us, we are very open-hearted on it. Are you seeing a change in attitude among the Sunnis? Huge. I can claim that the present government has more popularity, although some of my friends in Iraq may not like that, have more publicity and acceptance among Sunni populations than some leaders of these regions. There is also a report in the Wall Street Journal today that General Austin has said that their plans are moving ahead for retaking Mosul. Can you tell us where that stands, and when that might happen, and can the Iraqi Army and Peshmerga provide the boots on ground that are sufficient? Well, at the moment, there are boots on the ground. I think the Peshmerga are there. There are some Iraqi troops in that region. We have one single problem on this, which is the land link between our forces in the rest of Iraq and Mosul, Nainawa, and we have to make sure that link is there. That's why we are fighting now to make sure that that link, the road link, is protected and is open for our forces to move forward, and we have to have a liaison between the rest of Iraqi forces and the Peshmerga and the coalition partners, and it can be done. I'm telling you, there may be a surprise there. In a lot of our wars with Daesh, we have probably sometimes planned a few days, more days than we have actually achieved. We have been surprised in some instances that Daesh fighters just flee, they don't fight, which is, I think, a change in the strategy of Daesh, because Daesh morals are now on the decline, not on the ascent, which is quite a change. The same interview with General Austin said that I think they perhaps have eliminated at least half of the Daesh leadership. That? Well, I'm glad to be with you. Yes, I think we have seen that. I think together, I think the coalition partners and the Iraqi air force, and we have a very, very good special force, which I'm proud of, of the Iraqi elite forces, and they are carrying out operations. A lot of them are not announced, to be honest with you, for security and intelligence reasons. But I think we are doing very well on this front. What's the contribution of the P.I.T. militias? I cannot call it P.I.T. militias. I think these are volunteers who have answered the call to defend their countries, and they are on both sides. We have Kurds, we have Shia, we have Sunnis, we have Turkuments. Among all Iraqis, they are fighting to defend their country. Yes, I think some may have been organized before. But the situation now in Iraq is completely different than what it was, 2005, six, seven, eight. Now there is a central government. All these groups, they are asking to work under the government, not like before. Before, some, they were fighting the government. Now even they don't want to be seen as outside the government. This is important development, where the religious leadership in Najaf is calling that all arms must be under the control of the government, and all arms now are under the control of the government, of course, outside Daesh. Daesh is not under all control. And what's the contribution of Iran? I summarize it as positive. They've helped us in the first stage when Daesh rolled their forces into Iraq. They have helped us. Baghdad helped the Kurdish region as well. They have been very prompt in sending arms, sending ammunition, without even asking for payment first. Of course, we paid later. And I think they have been very helpful. I mean, I cannot deny they are delivering help to us now, but I have to stress. There is no single Iranian soldier on the Iraqi soil, not single Iranian soldier fighting on our own soil. Has there been? No. No, we don't need them. Is there an involvement by General Shalami? Soleimani, I mean. Soleimani? Well, he is an official of the Iranian military establishment, and I'm not denying we are dealing with him. Not denying? We are dealing with him. I mean, he's part of the infrastructure of Iranian establishment, and it's not a secret. Everybody knows we are dealing with this man. We very much have respect to him. And respect for the Iranian establishment. Iran is a neighbor. It happened to be we have the longest border with Iran. And Iran is our neighbor. Iraq happened to have two borders, the east and the north, with two Muslim countries who are non-Arab, Turkey and Iran. And the west and the south with Arabic countries. And I think we are very happy to act a bridge, like a bridge between the Arab world and the rest of the Muslim world and the world, indeed. Syria. Is there, do you see a plan to change things on the ground in Syria? I think with the current situation, I'm pessimistic because I cannot see a plan to save the Syrian people. If this war continues in Syria, all it's doing is damaging Syria, making more refugees, killing more civilians, then it must be stopped. I'm surprised, but people around the world and the region, they have started this war, but they don't seem to be able to stop it. I say, let us stop it and then talk later. The continuation of this war, it means continuation of the sacrifices of the Syrian people. There are about 10 to 11 Syrian refugees, some inside Syria, some are outside Syria. Iraq has been attacked from neighboring Syria. Daesh has been developed and gained power because of the situation in Syria. We have paid the heaviest price for the situation in Syria. For the war in Syria, it must be stopped. And I tell you, we are very actively working to try to find a political solution. We have been talking with the Turks, with the Iranians, with the Gulf, with the Americans, with the French and other Europeans and with the Russians about stopping finding a political solution to this crisis and to this conflict because it is in our own interests and it is in the best interests of the Syrian people. Finally, back to Iraq. What's your timetable? Four years, I think I've spent three and eight months. But the end goal is to do what? Well, I think we have the vision of this government, my government, is to leave Iraq controlling its own fate and territory, better economy, better life of our people, or less reliance on oil. This is a resource which has been given to us by God. We have to reserve it. And we have to take care of it for our future generation. Mr. Prime Minister, thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much for coming.