Iraq has made the decision to postpone the 3rd edition of the Baghdad Conference for economic integration and regional stability, an event co-sponsored by the French President, Emmanuel Macron.
The conference was initially scheduled to take place in late November in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. However, it has been deferred indefinitely due to the evolving regional events in the Middle East.
Farhad Alaaldin, an adviser to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, announced this delay, citing concerns related to the ongoing regional situation. Additionally, there is the possibility of Gulf states boycotting the conference. Macron had hoped to use this conference as a cornerstone of his diplomatic efforts in the region.
The main reason for the postponement, as explained by Alaaldin, is to allow Iraq to shift its focus towards efforts to achieve a ceasefire, provide assistance to the Palestinian people, and address the Israeli aggression against Gaza. This decision comes in the wake of a tragic event on October 7, where Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip initiated a deadly attack on Israel, resulting in the loss of 1,400 lives and the taking of more than 220 hostages.
The subsequent Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip has had devastating consequences, with at least 9,000 Palestinians losing their lives and more than 32,000 sustaining injuries. The Gaza Strip, with a population of 2.3 million, has been severely affected by these events, according to Gaza health officials.
Notably, seven UN special rapporteurs, who serve as independent experts monitoring human rights, issued a statement in Geneva, demanding an immediate ceasefire and warning of the potential for genocide among Palestinians, as reported by Reuters. The situation in the region remains tense, and the international community is closely watching for developments.
