WASHINGTON, D.C. — The US State Department sees the private sector as an ever-important part of the rebuilding and reconstruction processes in Iraq and Syria.
"The private sector has tremendous potential to provide meaningful support and engagement in humanitarian responses," said Deputy Secretary John Sullivan.
Sullivan was speaking at a US Institute of Peace event on Thursday in Washington, D.C.
He encouraged his government, which has increased Defense Department funding under Trump while slashing State Department funding, to "promote preventative diplomacy and peaceful solutions."
Sullivan assumed day-to-day duties of the Secretary of State after President Donald Trump axed Rex Tillerson on March 13.
"We hope that organizations like USIP can help us partner with the private sector to help the vast number of people around the world who are in crises, and to address long-term sustainability challenges," he said.
Although CIA head Mike Pompeo — assuming he passes senate confirmation — will replace Tillerson, Sullivan will likely remain in or close to the State Department. From 2010 to 2016 he chaired the US-Iraq Business Dialogue, a governmental advisory committee.
"Effective reconstruction is critical to ensuring that ISIS can never return and we are committed to working with our partners in the region to help the government in Iraq rebuild," said Sullivan.
Since 2014, the United States has provided more than $1.7 billion in humanitarian assistance to Iraq and spent more than $11 billion militarily against ISIS. From 2003 to 2011, the United States congress authorized more than $66.7 billion through the departments of defense, state, including USAID.
Iraqi Prime Minister Abadi left last month’s Kuwait reconstruction conference with about $30 billion in pledges, loans, and donations — about a third of what he said Iraq needed to rebuild after the three-year ISIS war.
The US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS has said "nearly 100 percent" of Iraq and Syria have been cleared of the extremist group.
The ongoing Syrian civil war began in 2011.
"The United States is largest single country humanitarian donor for the Syrian response," claimed Sullivan. "… providing $7.7 billion since the start of the crisis."
Sullivan said the assistance helps Syrians "in every governorate."
As the United States looks to stabilize areas ISIS once controlled and US forces are not in Syria at the request of President Bashar al-Assad, NGOs and private companies are seeking access for projects.
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