Iraq’s new Prime Minister designate Mustafa Al Kadhimi has vowed to form a government that “serves” public interest.
“I will present a new cabinet to the parliament very soon, it will be a government that serves the public, a government of services,” Mr Al Kadhimi said in his first televised public address.
The Iraqi official insisted that his cabinet will be equipped with competent ministers who “will put the public’s interest first”.
He pledged to have balanced ties with regional and international actors.
“Iraqi sovereignty is a red line,” he said, adding that it is not a matter for debate.
“Iraq’s decisions will be made by Iraqis,” he said.
President Barham Salih named Mr Al Kadhimi as prime minister designate on Thursday, making him the third nominee to lead Iraq in just 10 weeks.
The country’s political factions have struggled to agree on a replacement for a new government since outgoing Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi resigned last November.
“I will work tirelessly to present Iraqis with a program and cabinet that will work to serve them, protect their rights and take Iraq towards a prosperous future,” Mr Al Kadhimi said.
He was nominated hours after Adnan Al Zurfi withdrew his candidacy.
Mr Zurfi cited “internal and external reasons” for the move after facing opposition from the ruling Shiite factions that are linked to Iran.
The president said that Mr Kadhimi is a “fighter and intellectual who is well known for his integrity, moderation and keenness [to honour] the rights of the Iraqi people".
He warned that the prime minister designate has a "big responsibility, and a difficult task”, that includes conducting fair and transparent parliamentary elections and balancing relations between Iran and the US.
Since the 2003 US-led invasion, Iraq has been caught in a battle of influence between Washington and Tehran.
For years the country has been the staging ground for tit-for-tat strikes between the two states.
Mr Al Kadhimi assured the public that Iraq will not be dragged into the tensions between the two.
"Iraq must have successful foreign relations based on protecting sovereignty, mutual respect, and cooperation with neighbours and friends," he said.
David Schenker, the US assistant secretary of Near Eastern Affairs, welcomed the news about Mr Al Kadhimi’s nomination.
“If Kadhimi is an Iraqi nationalist, dedicated to pursuing a sovereign Iraq, if he is committed to fighting corruption, this would be great for Iraq, and we think it would be great for our bilateral relationship,” Mr Schenker told reporters during a teleconference.
The US official warned that Iranian-backed militia pose a “significant” threat to American forces stationed in Iraq.
His comments come about a week after US President Donald Trump warned of an attack by Iran or its proxies.
Mr Schenker did not give details about the attack but said “it continues to be significant”.
Iran-backed paramilitary groups that operate in Iraq have regularly been shelling bases hosting US forces, and the area around the American embassy in Baghdad.
An American drone strike in Iraq that killed Qassem Suleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force in early January deepened tensions between the two.
It also killed Abu Mahdi Al Muhandis, who founded Iraq’s Kataib Hezbollah militia after the 2003 US-led invasion.
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
If you go
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Funchal via Lisbon, with a connecting flight with Air Portugal. Economy class returns cost from Dh3,845 return including taxes.
The trip
The WalkMe app can be downloaded from the usual sources. If you don’t fancy doing the trip yourself, then Explore offers an eight-day levada trails tour from Dh3,050, not including flights.
The hotel
There isn’t another hotel anywhere in Madeira that matches the history and luxury of the Belmond Reid's Palace in Funchal. Doubles from Dh1,400 per night including taxes.
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Abu Dhabi card
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 2,400m
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 2,200m
6pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 1,400m
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 1,400m
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 1,600m
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
The National selections:
5pm: Valcartier
5.30pm: AF Taraha
6pm: Dhafra
6.30pm: Maqam
7pm: AF Mekhbat
7.30pm: Ezz Al Rawasi
Company%20Profile
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Dubai World Cup factbox
Most wins by a trainer: Godolphin’s Saeed bin Suroor(9)
Most wins by a jockey: Jerry Bailey(4)
Most wins by an owner: Godolphin(9)
Most wins by a horse: Godolphin’s Thunder Snow(2)
More from our neighbourhood series:
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Tips for SMEs to cope
- Adapt your business model. Make changes that are future-proof to the new normal
- Make sure you have an online presence
- Open communication with suppliers, especially if they are international. Look for local suppliers to avoid delivery delays
- Open communication with customers to see how they are coping and be flexible about extending terms, etc
Courtesy: Craig Moore, founder and CEO of Beehive, which provides term finance and working capital finance to SMEs. Only SMEs that have been trading for two years are eligible for funding from Beehive.
The bio
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite travel destination: Maldives and south of France
Favourite pastime: Family and friends, meditation, discovering new cuisines
Favourite Movie: Joker (2019). I didn’t like it while I was watching it but then afterwards I loved it. I loved the psychology behind it.
Favourite Author: My father for sure
Favourite Artist: Damien Hurst
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Book%20Details
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
