Haider al-Abadi
Mary Ann Sieghart profiles Haider al-Abadi, Iraq's prime minister-designate.
Profile · BBC Radio 4
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Show Notes
As Iraq's divisive Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki steps down, hopes are now pinned on his likely successor, Haider al-Abadi to restore trust with the Kurdish and Sunni communities and fight off the advance of the self-styled Islamic State's jihadist fighters. But what do we know about him?
Mary Ann Sieghart charts the rise of the doctor's son from Baghdad, who gained a doctorate in electrical engineering in the UK, leading to him forming a company servicing lifts for clients including the BBC. She talks to fellow Shiite Dawa Party members, a member of the Sunni opposition and a former US diplomat to ask whether Dr al-Abadi has the qualities to fix his country's problems.