Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi invoked the stele of Babylonian King Hammurabi, a replica of which stands at UN headquarters, in his address to the 81st UN General Assembly on September 25, saying laws were established to prevent the strong from oppressing the weak.
He said the weak are being oppressed in today’s world because it is governed by the law of the powerful rather than the power of law.
Turning to Iraq, al-Zaidi said his government is moving to ensure that the state alone holds decision-making power over war and peace and that weapons remain in the hands of its constitutional institutions.
Describing Iraq as a bridge for dialogue and cooperation in the region, he urged the world to invest in the country and stressed that there can be no regional security without a just solution guaranteeing the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and statehood.
He also called on neighbors and partners to join the Development Road project, which is set to link the Grand Faw Port in the Gulf to Europe via Türkiye.