European heads of state need to establish strong diplomatic and economic ties with Iraq as it sets its sights on development and prosperity after years of isolation and conflict, the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) has implored.

Writing in Europe's World, Daniel Korski and Richard Gowan, analysts with the council, explained that while the country has strong cash reserves from oil sales, years of underinvestment have left infrastructure crumbling and security lacking.

Although countries such as Italy have already invested in training and development programmes to help improve security in the country, broader training initiatives have been spearheaded by supranational organisations such as the Council of the EU.

Among the initiatives backed by the Council and the ECFR is a more comprehensive training and development programme that will extend beyond the kind of first-response training promoted by coalition forces.

The US military has dedicated resources to establishing a security force to protect the country's oil infrastructure and other key sectors, but the ECFR has called for greater investment in corollary training that will help to establish greater autonomy in Iraq.

Getenergy event for Iraq October 2009