The international community must help over three million refugees who have returned home since the Islamic State was defeated in Iraq, Italy's defence minister Roberta Pinotti said on Wednesday.
"A very important fact is that more than 3 million refugees have already come back to Iraq: a speed of return that we have rarely seen in other crises," Pinotti said on the sidelines of a Nato defence ministers meeting.
"This means that we must support this effort by the Iraqi people, not just to return to their homes but also to have the best possible lives," Pinotti said.
Nations must support the Iraqi government's efforts to normalise the war-ravaged country, Pinotti underlined.
"The main theme is stabilisation and rebuilding," she said.
"Today we need to have personnel who can control the cities and maintain security...we are also aware there is a need for a major reconstruction effort," Pinotti stated.
The Nato defence ministers meeting taking place through Thursday was expected to approve a bigger training mission for Iraqi military forces.
Iraq is facing a bill of over 88 billion dollars to rebuild the country, officials told a donor conference in Kuwait this week.
Italy on Tuesday announced it would this year withdraw at least 700 of its 1,500 troops in Iraq.
