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British official hails Iraq reconstruction conference as milestone

KUWAIT, Feb 13 (KUNA) -- A Kuwait-hosted conference on the reconstruction of Iraq is a significant step towards restoring stability to the war-battered nation, a British official said on Tuesday.
Speaking to the press on the sidelines of the International Coalition against the so-called Islamic State (IS) conference, Baroness Emma Nicholson of Winterbourne, a member of the House of Lords, highlighted how instrumental the event would be in luring foreign investment into Baghdad.
The British official stressed that her country's withdrawal from the European Union (EU), known as "Brexit", has no bearing on Britain's ties with the region, saying the process will not be detrimental to relations with the international community.
On investment opportunities that Iraq has to offer, she revealed that a number of British firms are taking part in the "Kuwait International Conference for Reconstruction of Iraq," including oil, gas and financial companies.
Nicholson went on to say that Britain is among Iraq's biggest aid providers, citing a plethora of development projects the country is currently undertaking, running the gamut from healthcare to educational endeavors.
She added that Iraq was in need of "indiscriminate" aid, with larger shares going to areas badly affected by the war.
A meeting of the International Coalition against IS kicked off earlier on Tuesday, with 74 members of the international community, along with global organizations, in attendance.
The talks are part of efforts to up the fight against terrorism and support a strategy the coalition has concocted in its battle against the IS. (end) amn.nam