Dr. Saleem al-Jabouri, speaker of the Iraqi parliament, and a delegation of Iraqi parliamentarians and political advisors joined U.S. foreign policy and political experts June 10 for dinner and a discussion about U.S. and Iraqi politics in the lead up to the November 2016 U.S. presidential election. 

The central aim of the gathering at NDI’s Washington, D.C., office was to reaffirm the relationship between NDI, the speaker’s office and the parliament, known officially as the Council of Representatives (CoR), while providing a forum to discuss current and future challenges in Iraq and the evolution of U.S. foreign policy toward the country. 

Following the dinner, Jabouri and NDI President Kenneth Wollack signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the CoR and NDI to confirm priorities for future programming and commit to a continuing partnership. The MoU ensures that NDI will continue to work closely with the speaker’s office and the CoR and address legislative functions essential to Iraq’s democratic progress. 

The discussion focused on the challenges that Jabouri and others in the Iraqi government will face over the next year, as they seek to focus international attention on democracy in Iraq and its importance to regional stability. 

Les Campbell, NDI regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, provided an overview of the Institute’s longstanding partnership with the speaker’s office and Jabouri’s role managing one of about 20 currently operating constituency outreach offices. Since 2010, NDI has worked with Iraqi members of parliament representing a diverse array of parliamentary blocs to open constituency offices where the public can interact with their elected representatives, share information, discuss community concerns and convey policy priorities to decision-makers at the national level. 

“Jabouri’s [office] was a model for outreach in Iraq, as it was the first constituency outreach office of its kind,” Campbell said. “Creating such offices is part of how NDI supports democracy in Iraq.” 

Jabouri then analyzed the security and political challenges facing Iraq. He stressed state and institution building as a necessary complement to defeating the Islamic State, a terrorist organization that occupies territory in Iraq and Syria also known as ISIS or ISIL. Regarding Iraq’s current political climate, Jabouri emphasized the importance of national reconciliation, which he said is urgently needed if there is to be a successful, stable and peaceful Iraq. 

Jabouri said, “[Iraq] needs surgery, which starts with constitutional reforms, changing election laws, press laws. National reconstruction is our foremost objective in order to bring a spirit of solidarity to Iraq.” 

Dinner attendees exchanged ideas about the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign and candidates’ foreign policy and national security views about Iraq and the broader Middle East. American political experts, both Republicans and Democrats, discussed the growing uncertainty in the U.S. about whether increased involvement in Iraq would strengthen its democratic institutions or produce enduring stability. 

The MoU will serve as a guiding document for NDI’s future engagement with the CoR. It confirms NDI’s partnership to work with parliamentary institutions, offices, staff and elected officials to make the CoR a successful legislative body. The document also serves as a public reaffirmation of the CoR’s dedication to democratization efforts and improving Iraq’s political and governing institutions. 

In his role as speaker, Jabouri has worked with NDI to prepare committee staff and MPs to analyze legislation, provide oversight of the national budget, and plan and execute the committee’s short- and long-term agendas. NDI has worked with the CoR since 2004, focusing on strengthening and improving all aspects of the legislative process.

Published on July 1, 2015