Chaldean Archdiocese of Erbil)
Chaldean Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil told Catholic Charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that the country's bishops will be meeting next month to discuss the government plan aimed at encouraging Christians to come back to Iraq.
The Assembly of the Catholic Bishops of Iraq is scheduled to meet in Ankawa, following recent talks between the newly elected Chaldean Catholic Patriarch Paul III Nona and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi.
The assembly brings together the Chaldean, Syriac Catholic, Armenian Catholic and Melkite Churches -- as well as a representative of Iraq's small number of Roman Catholics.
Prime Minister Al-Zaidi called for the return of Christian families as a national priority and pledged government support, including access for returnees to Iraq's one-million-plot residential land project.
He said: "The return of Christians who were forced to leave the country due to the difficult circumstances Iraq endured is a national and government priority. Iraq's true strength lies in its national, religious, and cultural diversity, and in the unity, integration, and social cohesion of its people."
Iraq's Christian population, estimated at 1.5 million in 2000, has fallen by at least 80 percent to below 300,000 following the 2003 US-led invasion and Daesh (ISIS)'s brutal assault on Mosul and the Nineveh Plains.
Al-Zaidi said the government was ready to provide practical support to encourage Christians to return, including "all necessary facilities and support" and immediate eligibility for the residential land programme.
Archbishop Warda, who was present at the meeting with the Prime Minister, said the issue would be discussed when bishops meet in August.
He said: "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 also encouraged Christians in the diaspora to return and invest in Iraq, particularly in health and education.
Archbishop Warda said "This call was welcomed by the Church".
He added: "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 educational institutes, including the Catholic University in Erbil, a project supported by ACN.
Marco Mencaglia, head of ACN's project department, welcomed the Prime Minister's comments, saying they reflected the charity's long-term support for Iraq's Christian community rebuilding homes in Christian towns and villages.
He said: "The project at the Catholic University of Erbil is also helping to maintain the Christian presence in the country. We hope that these additional incentives will help to ensure a strong Christian presence in the country."
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