BAGHDAD, Sept. 15 (UPI) -- There is a misconception about the security situation in Iraq that may be inhibiting the development of the urban infrastructure, an investment committee said.
Iraqi investors are gearing up for a development summit that focuses on its housing sector. Thair Feely, who heads the Baghdad Investment Commission, said the country "urgently" needs development in the housing sector.
Feely, whose commission members are elected by provincial council leaders, said the situation in Iraq was improving.
"There is a big misconception regarding security, yes there are problems but it is nothing compared to the past," he said in a statement. "In the past we had a huge security issue but now things have changed."
The U.S. Government Accountability Office released a 78-page report to the U.S. Congress this week that said the Iraqi government had a multibillion-dollar budget surplus that it could be spending on its national defense.
The report came as Baghdad asked Washington for an additional $2 billion for 2011 to support the training and equipment needs of Iraqi national security forces.
Feely defended security issues in Iraq by saying "we have a strong security force and incidents have all but finished."
His meeting is scheduled for November in Jordan.
