The UK’s reconstruction effort was focussed in and around Basra where, after 30 years of neglect under Saddam Hussein, it helped prevent the collapse of basic services. It improved power, water and sewage services for over 1 million people and involved a large number of projects focussed on education and health.

Internal Political

National elections are due to take place in January 2010, and will provide another opportunity for Iraqis to embrace democracy. The Iraqi Parliament is steadily maturing as a voice for the people. Iraq has made significant progress, and is rejecting sectarianism, as the passage of the provincial elections law last year, and the subsequent elections demonstrate. However tensions remain and we continue to urge all the main political leaders to work together in a spirit of compromise for the interests of all of Iraq, or risk damaging the recent gains in security and political progress.

Security

Despite a recent increase, security incidents across Iraq are at their lowest levels since 2003. The security situation in Basra has also been transformed over the past year.  Over the past two-and-a-half years, responsibility for security in the 18 provinces of Iraq has been gradually transferred from the Coalition to the Government of Iraq. The Iraqi Security Forces are growing in capability and effectiveness – as the significant improvements in security in Iraq over the last year testify. The Iraqi Security Forces are firmly in control of Basra. There and elsewhere in Iraq, a stable security situation is allowing economic growth and reconstruction and political progress to take root.

Iraq and its neighbours

Iraq's neighbours have a key role in supporting Iraq’s future. Iraq must become a positive influence in the region and address issues such as refugees, border security and energy integration. We welcome the increasingly positive developments in Iraq’s relations with its Arab neighbours – for example recent exchanges of ambassadors.

Following a difficult relationship between the two countries, including a decade of war, the Iranian people have a strong interest in a peaceful and stable Iraq. There are also important religious and cultural links including thousands of pilgrims crossing the shared border to visit holy sites.

However, there have been deep Iraqi concerns about Iran's  attempts to extend its influence in Iraq by supplying weapons, funding and training to militia groups, and through political interference. Such behaviour is unacceptable and contradicts Iran's professed desire for a stable Iraq. The Government of Iraq has sent a strong message that it will not tolerate outside interference that undermines the prospects for a stable and democratic Iraq.

We continue to address more specific regional concerns, in both Kuwait and Turkey. We are involved in the Tripartite committee, which brings together Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to resolve the cases of missing persons from the 1990/91 conflict. We are also promoting a bilateral committee between Kuwait and Iraq to help overcome some of the historical political and economic barriers.

We continue to encourage Saudi Arabia to re-establish links with the Government of Iraq, such as appointing an Ambassador to Baghdad, as many of their Arab neighbours have.  Iraq appointed an Ambassador to Riyadh in June 2009, and we encourage the Saudi’s to reciprocate. The Saudi’s do have a large role to play in helping the reconstruction of Iraq, through trade and economic development.

Educational & cultural ties

The UK and Iraq are keen to build on a strong tradition and strengthen educational links and co-operation. We are keen to assist in the redevelopment of Iraq’s education system to improve education for all Iraqis. We are working with the Iraqi Government to support its Iraq Scholarship Initiative which aims to send 10,000 Iraqi students overseas.

The UK believes protecting and promoting Iraq's cultural heritage is of great importance. We have supported many cultural projects since 2003 and continue to support initiatives which will allow future generations to understand and enjoy the country's rich history. We working with the British Council, British Library and British Museum, amongst others, on a number of projects including the Basra Museum.

Human Rights, Special Envoy and Freedom of Expression

The UK continues to lobby the Government of Iraq frequently on a number of both human rights and freedom of expression issues. These include:

• Britain's support for the passing of legislation in November 2008 which established a new National Human Rights Commission . We hope to see  it  evolve into a fully independent entity with significant powers.  
• The treatment of women, including reports of violence, so-called 'honour' crimes, female genital mutilation, and lack of access to education and health services.  
• The Rt Hon Ann Clwyd MP was appointed as the Prime Minister's Special Envoy on Human Rights in Iraq in 2003. During this time, Ann Clwyd has visited Iraq often, meeting many of Iraq's Ministers and politicians, and regularly raising  different rights issues with them.  
• The UK continues to support the work of NGOs who provide press training, such as the Institute for War and Peace Reporting.  However, we remain concerned about reports of journalists being threatened and deliberately targeted. The UK has helped to train over 200 Iraqi journalists in independent journalism and feature writing.
• Under Rule of Law, the UK has actively supported building the capacity of the Iraqi Police Service, through up-dating their forensic capabilities, developing their investigative procedures and introducing community-based policing principles. This has extended to developing prison facilities and training judges and penitentiary officers.  
• Since 2003, the UK has contributed over £180 million to humanitarian agencies working with vulnerable Iraqis, including internally displaced people and those who have fled to other countries in the region.