Iraq/UNAMI: A3 Joint Statement

Thank you, Madam President.

I have the honour to make this statement on behalf of the A3 members namely Kenya, Ghana and Gabon.

We thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General Jeanine Hennis-Plashaert for her enlightening briefing on the latest developments in Iraq and on the activities of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

We welcome the presence of the Permanent Representative of Iraq at this session.

Madam President,

On 27 May 2021, the Council unanimously adopted resolution 2576 (2021), which extended the mandate of UNAMI until 27 May 2022. A few days before this deadline, it is indeed timely and pertinent to take stock of its implementation and the developments in Iraq.

To this end, we will focus our intervention on three main points: political, security and humanitarian aspects.

The peaceful legislative elections on October 10, 2021 were a source of hope for many Iraqis. Despite the proclamation of the results being characterized by tensions and electoral disputes, the willingness of all political actors to remain within the framework of the Constitution demonstrated their commitment to the political stability of Iraq and offered a sign of optimism for the Iraqi people.

Regrettably, the persistent dissensions continue to impact negatively the political situation in Iraq. In particular, the inability of the House of Representatives to reach a consensus in order to proceed with the appointment of the President has placed the country in a limbo with implications for the constitutional calendar which highlights the fragility of the ongoing political process.

The continued absence of unity among the political actors is also a further obstacle to the implementation of the much-needed political reforms.

The early formation of a new government is therefore ever more crucial as the aspirations of the Iraqi people for stability and socio-economic progress will be meaningfully advanced. It is in this spirit, that the A3 urges the various political parties to resolve their differences in the spirit of compromise and commit to engage in an inclusive political dialogue with a view to reaching a sustainable agreement that will address the needs of the Iraqi people, fulfill the political and socioeconomic reforms as well as combat the adverse effects of climate change characterized by extreme weather conditions.

The establishment of an institutionalized and regular dialogue between the Federal Government and the Kurdistan Regional Government is also critical. We therefore underscore the urgency for institutionalized structured dialogue between Baghdad and Erbil so that the Iraqi people can reap the dividends of peace, democracy and prosperity.

It is in this light that we also take note of the signing by the President of Iraqi Kurdistan region of a decree establishing the holding of parliamentary elections for the region in the sixth legislature on October 1st, 2022.

The A3 commends UNAMI's support for the post-election activities, including its support of the Independent High Electoral Commission. In particular, we highlight the post-election review activities that will enable the Electoral Commission to use lessons learned from previous elections to strengthen institutions for future electoral processes in Iraq. We also commend the Electoral Commission for its efforts in this regard.

The outcome of the election where the number of parliamentary seats won by women was above the constitutional quota, proved that the Iraqi women are not only willing, but are also ready to play more significant leadership roles including in the political arena. We therefore urge the new government to reflect these results, including in the appointment of women to positions of leadership and responsibility.

Madam President,

The security situation remains highly volatile and concerning. The multiplicity of asymmetrical attacks by ISIL/Daesh or unidentified armed groups, targeting the Iraqi security forces as well as the use of explosive devices and ballistic missiles have continued to maim innocent civilians including women and children. An escalation of violence will further undermine peace and stability efforts on Iraqi territory.

We also note with concern the remaining security tensions between the Federal Government and the Kurdistan Regional Government. We call on all parties concerned to exercise restraint and avoid any activities that could undermine the security and stability of the country and the region.

We welcome the commitment of the Government of Iraq to continue to engage with the international community on major issues such as security and the fight against terrorism, as well as its collaboration with the United Nations in providing them with the necessary security support for their operations, in particular to facilitate their access to areas still affected by restrictions related to the fight against Covid-19.

The A3 condemns military operations by external actors and reiterates that Iraq should be protected from becoming an international arena for states and non-state actors to settle scores to the detriment of the security, political stability, and socio-economic progress of the country and its people.

In this regard, we encourage Iraq to continue initiatives to promote regional stability and build domestic resilience so that Iraq's security can be shielded from becoming more vulnerable.

Madam President,

Despite the improvements in the humanitarian situation in Iraq since the end of large-scale military operations against Daesh in 2017, significant humanitarian needs remain, and the most vulnerable people are the first victims.

The A3 welcomes the assistance that the United Nations, in collaboration with the Government of Iraq, continues to provide to internally displaced persons, returnees and refugees, despite the drastic decrease in humanitarian funding.

We welcome the Iraqi Government's continued commitment to the repatriation of Iraqi families from the al-Hol camp in the Syrian Arab Republic. We continue to encourage continued repatriation of refugees in a safe, voluntary and dignified manner to enable their return to normalcy.

We particularly welcome the commitment of the United Nations alongside the Kurdistan Regional Office to strengthen the implementation of mandatory reporting of gender-based violence, in partnership with a local non-governmental organization, as well as the inauguration of the One-Stop Assistance Centre in Mosul for women victims of violence.

Madam President,

The climate crisis in Iraq is also of great concern as illustrated by the violent sandstorm of May 5 that caused the loss of a human life and the hospitalization of more than five thousand others for respiratory disorders.

The water issue is another challenge for Iraq. According to Iraqi authorities, Iraq's water reserves have halved compared to 2021. The water crisis which is aggravated by increasingly severe droughts and a decrease in rainfall represents a major challenge for Iraq's 40 million inhabitants. This has a direct impact on agricultural harvests and thus threatens Iraq's food security.

It is for this reason that the A3 welcomes the Iraqi Government's prioritization of the need to develop climate resilience and to tackle the ever-aggravating effects of this climate crisis and its consequences. We further encourage Iraq to take responsibility and ownership of the country's humanitarian needs. We therefore, in line with the Secretary-General, call on all regional actors to engage resolutely in constructive dialogue on the issue of water sharing, as its scarcity is often a source of conflict between neighboring countries.

Madam President,

We cannot conclude without mentioning the issue of the missing Kuwaiti and third-country national file. The A3 recognizes the increased efforts of the Government of Iraq to find new witnesses who could provide relevant information for the identification of the location of new burial sites and look forward to further positive developments in the search for missing Kuwaiti property, including the National Archives.

We wish to reaffirm the A3's full support for UNAMI's efforts in the implementation of resolution 2576 (2021), including its assistance to the Government of Iraq.

Thank you.