Liberating Mosul is ‘political, not cleansing it of Daesh’, says Kurdish official

The prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq has said “liberating Mosul is a political issue” and pointed out that the crisis will not be resolved simply by “cleansing” the city of Daesh, Moheet.com reported on Sunday. Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani reiterated that there must be a political agreement between all sides in Ninawa prior to the liberation to prepare for the post-liberation stage.

Speaking during a conference to strengthen the regional economy in Erbil, Barzani said that getting rid of Daesh from Mosul would have “positive effects” on the region, mainly economical. He stressed the importance of the private sector, citing the assistance given to the foreign private sector in order to provide more employment.

Despite not receiving any budget, the cost of the war against Daesh, the refugee influx and the sharp decline in oil prices, he explained that the private sector is still providing a livelihood for thousands of families.

Barzani recognised that there had been mistakes in running the regional government, but he repeated the importance of using the current crisis to encourage economic reforms. He called for the private sector to invest in farming, industry and tourism.

The prime minister noted that Kurdistan had been living through an economic crisis since 2004, but progress has been made, including a reduction in unemployment from 10.4 per cent to 5.2 per cent. The income from housing, industry and tourism is worth $47 billion, he revealed.