Statement by Deputy Political Coordinator Laura Dix at
the UN Security Council meeting on Iraq.
Let me start by thanking the Special Representative for her
briefing, and for the important work of the UN Assistance Mission
in Iraq. The Mission has made an important contribution to Iraq
over the past twenty years. Now is the time to transition to a
new partnership between Iraq and the United Nations. We welcome
the findings of the Independent Strategic Review, and we will
work closely with all parties to consider the future of the
mission in line with its recommendations and the will of the
Government of Iraq.
We hope that in due course Iraq will be able to share positive
progress on the important issues highlighted by the Independent
Strategic Review which are drawn from the Government of Iraq's
own programme and priorities. This includes the holding of
elections for the Iraqi Council of Representatives, the
consolidation of nationally-owned institutions to sustain
dialogue between Baghdad and Erbil, and the strengthening of
national human rights bodies.
We welcome the timely formation of 13 out of 15 local government
administrations following successful elections, and we encourage
the government to do more to include women in the political
process. We also urge all parties to commit to agree a date for
free, fair and inclusive elections in the Kurdistan Region of
Iraq as soon as possible.
President, the United Kingdom welcomes the update on missing
Kuwaiti and third-country nationals and missing Kuwaiti property
and reiterates our commitment to the work of the Tripartite
Commission. The transition period of UNAMI provides the parties
with an opportunity to fully resolve these outstanding issues.
Should this not happen, the Council will need to consider further
options for this file.
In closing, I express the UK's sincere thanks to you, Special
Representative, for your outstanding work in Iraq since 2018 and
we commend your powerful and hopeful words about the future of a
stable and prosperous Iraq.
