The World Economic Forum in Davos held a workshop on Iraq. The keynote speakers were: the Vice President of Iraq, A'adel Abdulmahdi; the Foreign Minister, Hoshiar Zeebari and Mr Adnan Bachachi MP.
The Secretary General of the Arab League, Amr Moosa and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zaeid were among the participants. Some media and business people were also present.
The GFIW representative told the workshop of the important role civil society and, in particular, free trade unions could play in helping to stabilize Iraq and building parliamentary democracy. The GFIW representative pointed out that, instead of abolishing Saddam's repressive anti-union laws of 1987, the government of Iraq issued a new anti-workers law - Order No 8750 of August 2005.
Mr Adnan Al Bachachi MP replied by saying that civil society and democratic unions are the bedrock of democracy and must be supported.