National Wisdom Movement Says Iraq's Govt. Lacks Credibility

National Wisdom Movement Says Iraq's Govt. Lacks Credibility
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National Wisdom Movement Says Iraq's Govt. Lacks Credibility

National Wisdom Movement Says Iraq's Govt. Lacks Credibility

Iraq's National Wisdom Movement, led by Ammar al-Hakim, issued Monday a shocking and prolonged report, the first since its decision to move to the opposition in June. It revealed in its report that the achievements made by Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi’s government over six months don’t exceed 38 percent.

It revoked the 79 percent rate mentioned in the report issued by the government end of June, covering the period since Abdul Mahdi has taken office in October 2018.

Sources close to the Iraqi government told Asharq Al-Awsat they rule out any response by the government to the recent report issued by the opposition Movement.

While members of the Movement say the report is “in favor of the government and aims at correcting its work rather than criticizing it.”

According to the Movement’s report, a group of experts examined what the government issued on its achievements and concluded that the achievement rate doesn’t exceed 38 percent.

It said the figures announced by the government lack accuracy and credibility and that the percentage of projects implemented is only four percent.

The government’s report also didn’t tackle the relation between the federal government and the Kurdistan region despite its major problems with Baghdad, according to the Movement’s report, which highlighted the pledge made by the government’s plan to solve these issues.

It also noted that “some of the work, considered by the government as achievements in its report, is limited to some maintenance projects, book printing and the preparation of studies.”

The government’s report also attributed service achievements to Abdul Mahdi’s government while they were completed under previous governments.

The opposition Movement’s report, however, tackled the work and achievements of all the ministries and showed that the report issued by the government is baseless, the leader in the National Wisdom Movement, Mohamed Hossam al-Husseini, told Asharq Al-Awsat.



ICRC to Expand Syria Humanitarian Efforts beyond $100 Mln Program

A logo of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is pictured in Geneva, Switzerland March 29, 2022. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo
A logo of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is pictured in Geneva, Switzerland March 29, 2022. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo
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ICRC to Expand Syria Humanitarian Efforts beyond $100 Mln Program

A logo of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is pictured in Geneva, Switzerland March 29, 2022. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo
A logo of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is pictured in Geneva, Switzerland March 29, 2022. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) plans to expand its work in Syria significantly beyond an initial $100 million program, the organization's president said on Monday, citing pressing needs in the health, water and power sectors.
Syria requires $4.07 billion in aid this year, but only 33.1% has been funded, leaving a $2.73 billion gap, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The ICRC's expected expansion follows new access to all regions of the country after the toppling of president Bashar al-Assad last month.
"Our program originally for this year for Syria was $100 million, but we are likely to expand that significantly," ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric told Reuters on the sidelines of a visit to the country.
She said individual donor countries had already come forward with an increase in funding for Syria.
ICRC was one of the few international organizations still operating in Syria under Assad's rule, working on infrastructure projects including water and electricity systems.
"We need to expand that work, we have a lot to do in the health sector," she added.
The organization is engaged in rehabilitation work to sustain water provision at 40% to 50% of what it was before the war, but protection of water facilities remains important as some are close to places where fighting is still under way.
"There are facilities next to the Euphrates Lake that are specific to the protection requirement at the moment," she said.
Initial assessments to begin immediate rehabilitation of Syria’s electricity systems are partly complete, but urgent financial investments and adjustments to sanctions are now required, she added.
"Certain spare parts need to be allowed to come in because that is also hampering the rehabilitation work at the moment. So there's a political dimension to it," she said.
Earlier, people briefed on the matter told Reuters that the US is set to announce an easing of restrictions on providing humanitarian aid and other basic services such as electricity to Syria while maintaining its strict sanctions regime.
On Sunday, Syria's new rulers said US sanctions were an obstacle to the country's rapid recovery and urged Washington to lift them, during a visit by Syrian officials to Qatar.