Statement by Caroline Quinn, UK Deputy Political Coordinator, at
the UN Security Council meeting on Iraq.
"As the UN Assistance Mission to Iraq (UNAMI) closes this month
and Iraq continues to progress, the United Kingdom encourages a
continued focus on priorities that will underpin Iraq's long-term
stability and prosperity.
These include upholding Iraq's sovereignty and constructive
engagement with international partners, strengthening the rule of
law and the effectiveness of state institutions, and delivering
urgent economic reforms to create opportunities for all
Iraqis.
We also urge greater efforts to tackle corruption and
diversify Iraq's economy. The United
Kingdom stands ready to support Iraq in making progress on
these objectives.
The recent parliamentary elections were a significant milestone,
and we commend the determination of the Iraqi people to
shape their future through the ballot box. We hope to see a
swift conclusion to the process of government formation.
We also commend the efforts of all those involved in delivering
the electoral process
including the support offered by UNAMI.
As this UN Security Council chapter closes, we hope that Iraq
will continue to partner with the United Nations, particularly on
human rights. The United Kingdom welcomes steps to
improve women's political participation in Iraq.
We encourage the Iraqi authorities to enact robust child
protection and women's rights legislation, and to ensure all
survivors of sexual and gender-based violence receive the
accountability and support they deserve.
On the missing persons file, we welcome the recent handover of
400 boxes of Kuwaiti national archive materials by Iraq. We
commend the cooperation on this important issue between
all relevant stakeholders, including the International Committee
of the Red Cross, and we echo the Secretary-General's
call for continued efforts in this regard.
We look forward to the upcoming appointment of a Senior
Representative to support meaningful cooperation on this file,
particularly around identifying new witnesses, harnessing modern
technology, and sustaining momentum on outstanding cases of
missing Kuwaiti and third country nationals.
The United Kingdom reaffirms its commitment to Iraq's
sovereignty, stability, and prosperity, and stands ready to
support the swift and full implementation
of Resolution 2792 on missing persons.
Allow me to close by expressing our deep appreciation to SRSG Al
Hassan and to all those who have served in UNAMI over the years,
for their invaluable contribution to Iraq's stability."
