Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
UNITED NATIONS, 19th May. UN Special Representative for Iraq Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert on Thursday said that Iraq’s stability and gains require robust support after concerns of shrinking civic space, postponed elections, and an unfolding climate emergency.
“Now is not the time to be complacent, or to take for granted that Iraq has turned a corner,” said Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert.
Ms. Hennis-Plasschaert head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq briefed the UNSC members on recent developments and said that achievements from fighting corruption to advancing energy independence.
She said critical actions must tackle outstanding issues, including forging an agreement on a functioning budget and ensure the long-awaited provincial council elections occur by the end of 2023.
On Kurdistan region, she said disagreements between the two ruling parties in recent months drove the region “close to the brink” amid an increasingly reckless and irresponsible political situation.
She raised the issue of the long-overdue parliamentary elections.
“Time is of the essence,” she said.
She added that agreement on outstanding electoral issues must urgently be found. “Another postponement would be detrimental to public trust.”
Ms Hennis-Plasschaert, stressed that despite repeated declarations of commitment from Baghdad and Erbil, she remained disappointed over the scant progress made so far, in implementing the 2020 Sinjar Agreement, which outlined a road map for reconstructing the north of the country.
“Such stagnation creates further space for spoilers to exploit the situation to their own ends, and it blocks thousands of displaced Sinjaris from returning to their areas of origin,” she said.
She noted rise in tensions between communities in Sinjar was in large part fuelled by online disinformation targeting the Yazidi community.
Top official emphasized local leaders from all sides have collectively worked to dispel this spike in tensions.
She said that challenges to reconciliation will persist until meaningful steps are taken, including those towards a unified administration, stable security structures and reconstruction.
She noted the issue of disputed territories, the implementation of the Sinjar Agreement, or any other outstanding issue for that matter, it remains essential to move beyond ad hoc engagements between Baghdad and Erbil.
Top envoy stated water represents the most critical climate emergency for Iraq.
By 2035, it is estimated that Iraq will have the capacity to meet only 15 per cent of its water demands.
Over 90 per cent of Iraq’s rivers are polluted, and seven million people are currently suffering from reduced access to water. This is a significant multiplier of threats to Iraq’s stability.
She praised the priority placed on the issue of water security by Iraq’s Government.
She said plans for the extensive updating of water management systems are underway, which will be vital in meeting demands driven by population growth and urbanization.
“The fair sharing of resources among Iraq’s neighbours is equally important,” she said. If water access becomes a competition, everyone loses; bold domestic actions and close regional cooperation offer the only winning solution.
She said that regional security, economic and political developments will continue to impact Iraq.
Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert emphasized that the importance of the Government’s efforts to scale up diplomacy with and among its neighbours in a number of areas from border security and trade to water-sharing and climate issues.
She underlined the need for active, empowered and protected civic space.
Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert expressed hope that Iraq’s leaders and authorities publicly embrace civic engagement, and the freedom of expression at that, to avoid fomenting a renewed sense of isolation and disillusion among Iraqi people, particularly the younger generation and women.
“Accountability, rule of law, and respect for human rights are equally essential to preventing recurring cycles of crises,” she said.
On the issue of missing Kuwaiti and third-party nationals and of Kuwaiti property as a result of Iraq’s short-lived invasion of the country in 1990, she noted progress in locating witnesses and possible burial sites and welcomed welcome the Prime Minister’s decision to establish a committee to continue these efforts.
She said her Officer continues to await progress on the retrieval of missing Kuwaiti property, including the national archives.
She said these gains “could be easily spoiled”, whether through unchecked corruption, interference from within, intrusion from the outside, a groundswell of disillusion or political horse-trading against the common good.
“Iraq has tremendous potential,” she said.
She concluded that “Through ambitious Government plans, provided they are fully implemented, many drivers of instability can be addressed.”
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