The United States and Italy convened a virtual ministerial meeting with members of the defeat-Islamic State (IS) coalition to discuss progress on the campaign. During the meeting, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged member countries to pledge money to the coalition’s goal of more than $700 million in funding for 2020, while acknowledging the “enormous pressure” the coronavirus pandemic has placed on state budgets.
“The US is leading the investment in our shared mission by continuing its role as the military backbone of the [defeat IS] effort, and we’re sharing the financial burden of Iraq’s immediate recovery,” said Pompeo, adding, “Just last year, the United States pledged more than $100 million for the coalition’s main stabilization program for liberated areas.”
