The International Donors Conference on Iraq opened here Thursday to deal with the humanitarian dimension of the situation in Iraq, emphasizing the need to continue the humanitarian efforts in the country and the important actions of international and nongovernmental organizations in rebuilding Iraq.

In a concluding statement of the "Forum on the Bridge Between Humanitarian Aid and Reconstruction," the conference host Spain said the technical discussion in the first day of the two-day conference on Iraq achieved its three objectives: taking stock of humanitarian activities and on-going needs, ensuring synergies between humanitarian and reconstruction programs, and seeking common views of the priorities for ongoing humanitarian efforts.

Some members of the Iraqi Governing Council and several Iraqi ministers participated in the first day session of the two-day conference aimed at raising money for rebuilding Iraq.

Together with representatives from international organizations such as the United Nations and the World Bank, representatives of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq also attended the meeting, which drew together delegates from nongovernmental organizations and from donor countries as well.

According to the statement, the participants expressed their agreement to continue with the humanitarian aid in order to coordinate needs and the future reconstruction of Iraq, indicating that no humanitarian crisis has occurred in the worn-torn country. 

Moreover, coordination and collaboration between the efforts of humanitarian aid of actors and donors, and the convenience of identifying problems of vulnerable sectors of the Iraqi population and of establishing provisions to accommodate refugees have also been declared, the statement said.

The most dealt ideas have been the need to rebuild the capacity of Iraqi institutions and to create favorable security conditions to continue efficiently the reconstruction actions, the statement added.

With the first day featuring discussions on Iraq's needs in education, health and electrical grid, the donors conference will see formal pledges for Iraq on Friday, when US Secretary of State Colin Powell, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, and foreign ministers from other countries such as Japan and Italy, as well as lower-level delegations from most other countries, were expected to attend the event.

(Xinhua News Agency October 24, 2003)