The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
856.
Mr Browne
visited Iraq between 29 October and 2 November.499
He reported
to
Mr Brown
that it had been “markedly the most encouraging of my seven visits
to Basra”.
He
continued:
“So
progress there has been, but, as you well know, the space we have
achieved is
fragile and
temporary. We have a window of opportunity in Basra and it is vital
that
both we and
the Iraqis apply political and economic leadership to make the most
of it.”
857.
Mr Browne
had impressed upon everyone he met in Iraq the need to
announce
“a detailed
economic plan for Basra” to coincide with PIC in
December.
858.
Mr Browne
concluded: “If we are to deliver, and we must, this will need
dedicated
and
energetic UK resource in London, Basra and Baghdad.”
859.
Mr Browne’s
visit prompted Maj Gen Binns to evaluate progress made since
the
summer.500
His 1
November weekly report advised that:
“We are now
subject to far fewer attacks, are constructively engaged with
the
Governor …
and the Provincial Council, we transit through Basra in force …
without
opposition
… and are looking to make more of the large amount of
reconstruction
work we are
responsible for (through US resources) in Basra through
good
information
and media operations.”
860.
Mr Alexander
sent Mr Brown an update on the Basra economic initiatives
on
861.
Mr Alexander
advised that DFID had identified several UK business leaders
willing
to help
drive forward the work of the BDC, including Mr Michael
Wareing, International
CEO of
KPMG. The BDC (which Mr Alexander described as the
“centrepiece” of the
Basra
economic initiatives) would bring together national, regional and
international
business
knowledge to provide strategic advice to the Iraqi authorities on
investment
and growth
for Basra’s economy. DFID was planning a launch event for the BDC
to
coincide
with PIC in Basra.
862.
Mr Alexander
agreed with Mr Browne’s assessment (in his 2 November letter
to
Mr Brown)
that dedicated UK resources were required to move the economic
initiatives
forward.
DFID had:
•
deployed a
Project Manager to the Basra PRT to work on economic
initiatives;
and
•
re-orientated
DFID’s Economic and Governance team in the PRT to
support
the
initiatives, and provided £750,000 to establish the BIPA and the
Basra
Development
Fund.
499
Letter
Browne to Brown, 2 November 2007, [untitled].
500
Report
Binns, 1 November 2007, ‘GOC HQ MND(SE) – southern Iraq Update – 1
November 2007’.
501
Letter
Alexander to Brown, 9 November 2007, [untitled].
334