Iraqi PM wants Christians to return
Iraq’s Prime Minister, Ali al-Zaidi, has declared that the return of Christian families is a national priority. He has pledged to include returnees in a government program that is offering one million residential plots.
He made these commitments during a visit by the newly elected Patriarch of the Chaldean Church, His Beatitude Paul III Nona, to the Prime Minister in Baghdad, in July. His Beatitude, formerly known as Archbishop Amel Nona, was previously the leader of the Chaldean Diocese of Saint Thomas the Apostle in Australia and New Zealand.
“The return of Christians who were forced to leave the country due to the difficult circumstances Iraq endured is a national and government priority,” said the Prime Minister.
“Iraq’s true strength lies in its national, religious, and cultural diversity, and in the unity, integration, and social cohesion of its people.
“Christians are an active component, an essential part of Iraqi society, and a key partner in building the state and shaping Iraq’s history and future.”
Iraq was home to around 1.5 million Christians in the year 2000, but successive waves of migration depleted the number to less than 300,000 today, according to the charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).
Apart from the instability that resulted from the 2003 invasion and toppling of Saddam Hussein’s regime, Christians were targeted by jihadist groups over the decades, especially in 2014, with the invasion of Mosul and the Nineveh Plains by the Islamic State.
Chaldean Archbishop Bashar Warda, of Erbil, was also present in the meeting between the Patriarch and the Prime Minister. He told ACN that the topic will be discussed by bishops during a meeting in a few weeks.
“In August, we will have the Catholic Bishops Conference meeting in Ankawa, which we have not had since 2021, since the Pope visited, and I am sure His Beatitude will address this issue.”
According to Archbishop Warda, the Prime Minister told the Chaldean delegation that he envisioned a greater Christian contribution, calling on businessmen in the diaspora to return and invest in the country.
“This call was welcomed by the Church,” says Archbishop Warda.
“The Prime Minister has lived among Christians, so he knows them very well. He said he would love to see Christians working in health and education because he trusts them and knows the quality of the education and the healthcare they provide. He told us to count on him for whatever we need, and that is very encouraging.”
Christian denominations in Iraq operate 18 schools, including some of the most renowned, as well as a Catholic university in Erbil.
Al-Zaidi said his government is offering concrete incentives to attract Christians back to the country:
“The government remains fully committed to consolidating stability and ensuring security, justice, and sustainable civil peace for all citizens. We express the government’s complete readiness to provide all necessary facilities and support to encourage and assist the return of Christian families, which includes ensuring their immediate eligibility and inclusion in the country’s ongoing one million-plot residential land project.”
Despite the optimism of the Iraqi prime minister, Patriarch Nona still sees many problems for Christians, even if life is safer and more secure. In a recent interview with Vatican News, he pointed out that Iraqi Christian youth appeared to have lost hope in the future of their country.
He said that many want to emigrate. Uncertainty has even contributed to a noticeable decline in the number of marriages.
Patriarch Nona warned this threatens Iraq’s future. “It is above all young people who build a nation; without their participation and commitment, the future risks becoming increasingly precarious.”
Corruption is Iraq’s biggest enemy, he said. Protecting human rights is linked to fighting financial corruption and reducing the influence of money and political power in decision-making processes.