United Nations Security Council Resolution 2631 – The situation concerning Iraq (UNAMI)

Resolution 2631 (2021)

The Security Council,

Recalling all its previous relevant resolutions on Iraq, in particular 1500 (2003), 1546 (2004), 1557 (2004), 1619 (2005), 1700 (2006), 1770 (2007), 1830 (2008), 1883 (2009), 1936 (2010), 2001 (2011), 2061 (2012), 2110 (2013), 2169 (2014), 2233 (2015), 2299 (2016), 2379 (2017), 2421 (2018), 2522 (2020), 2576 (2021) and reiterating resolutions 2107 (2013) and 2621 (2022) on the situation between Iraq and Kuwait, and the values set forth in 2367 (2017),

Reaffirming the independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Iraq, and emphasizing the importance of the stability, prosperity, and security of Iraq for the people of Iraq, the region, and the international community, particularly in light of Iraq’s territorial victory over the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as Da’esh), and encouraging the international community to increase its support to Iraq in this regard,

Supporting Iraq in addressing the challenges it faces as it continues its stabilization efforts, including the ongoing fight against terrorism and ISIL, Al-Qaida and their affiliates, and continues the task of recovery, reconstruction, stabilization and reconciliation, including the requirement to meet the needs of all Iraqis, including women, youth, children, displaced persons, and persons belonging to ethnic and religious minorities, recognizing the threat of explosive ordinance and its impact on civilians, including children, and welcoming efforts to clear areas of such devices,

Condemning in the strongest terms the 7 November 2021 assassination attempt against Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al Kadhimi,

Recalling the fundamental principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises, and the obligations on host Governments, including under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, to take all appropriate steps to protect diplomatic and consular premises against any intrusion or damage, and to prevent any disturbance of the peace of these missions or impairment of their dignity,

Commending the Government of Iraq’s and the Independent High Electoral Commission’s execution of a technically well-managed and generally peaceful election on 10 October 2021,

Calling for the swift and peaceful formation of a new government, to deliver on national priorities for the Iraqi people, including through economic reform, regional cooperation, stabilization, development and the promotion and protection of human rights,

Noting the importance of the Government of Iraq urgently delivering meaningful reforms aimed at meeting the Iraqi people’s legitimate demands to address corruption, deliver essential and basic services, diversify its economy, create jobs, improve governance, and strengthen viable and responsive state institutions, recognizing the Government of Iraq’s efforts to that effect, and calling for State institutions to redouble efforts to pursue accountability for those responsible for crimes involving the killing, serious injury, abduction or disappearance of demonstrators and journalists, and to safeguard and respect the right of freedom of expression,

Noting the Government of Iraq’s desire to see internally displaced persons and displaced Iraqis in Syria return to their areas of origin or resettle elsewhere in Iraq, stressing the importance of achieving dignified, safe and durable solutions undertaken on a voluntary and informed basis,

Recognizing the importance of the effective and timely implementation of the Yazidi Female Survivors Law and the need to hold perpetrators of conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence accountable, to provide mental health and psychosocial support to victims, and to provide reparations and redress measures for all survivors identified in the law, and calling upon the Government of Iraq to extend its provisions to all victims,

Recognizing that the adverse effects of climate change, ecological changes, and natural disasters, among other factors, can contribute to desertification and drought, adversely impact the humanitarian situation, and aggravate any existing instability, emphasizing the need for comprehensive risk assessments by the Government of Iraq with the support of the United Nations, upon the request of the Government of Iraq, to take meaningful actions to adapt to or mitigate challenges posed by climate change and ecological change, and acknowledging the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement,

Expressing concern at the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Iraq, recalling resolution 2565 (2021) and stressing once again that equitable access to safe, efficacious and affordable tests, treatments and COVID-19 vaccines is essential to end the pandemic,

Calling on the international community to remain strongly committed to providing support to Iraq for its humanitarian, stabilization, reconstruction, and development efforts and looking to the Government of Iraq as it assumes increased responsibility for the provision of humanitarian services,

1. Decides to extend the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) until 31 May 2023;

2. Requests that the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and UNAMI, at the request of the Government of Iraq, shall:

(a) prioritize the provision of advice, support, and assistance to the Government and people of Iraq on advancing inclusive, political dialogue and national and community-level reconciliation, taking into account civil society input, with the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women;

(b) further advise, support, and assist:

(i) the Government of Iraq, the Independent High Electoral Commission and other Iraqi institutions with efforts to strengthen electoral preparation and processes, including through regular technical reviews and detailed reporting on electoral preparations and processes, as part of the Secretary-General’s regular reporting cycle;

(ii) the Government of Iraq and the Council of Representatives on constitutional review, the implementation of constitutional provisions, as well as on the development of processes acceptable to the Government of Iraq to resolve disputed internal boundaries;

(iii) the Government of Iraq with progress on security sector reform, including by prioritizing the planning, funding, and implementation of efforts to strengthen state control and reintegration programmes for former members of armed groups, where and as appropriate, in coordination with other multinational entities;

(iv) the Government of Iraq on facilitating regional dialogue and cooperation, including on issues of border security, energy, trade, environment, water, adverse impacts of climate change in particular those contributing to desertification and drought, resilience building, infrastructure, public health, and refugees;

(c) promote, support, and facilitate, in coordination with the Government of Iraq:

(i) the coordination and delivery of humanitarian and medical assistance, notably to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the transition of humanitarian services to government systems;

(ii) the safe, timely, orderly, voluntary and dignified return or local integration, as appropriate, of refugees and displaced persons, including through the efforts of the UN Country Team, and timely access to legal assistance and civil documentation for internally displaced persons and displaced Iraqis in Syria, including persons at risk of statelessness, particularly children without birth registration or other documentation of legal identity;

(iii) the coordination and implementation of programmes to improve Iraq’s capacity to provide effective essential civil and social services, including health care and education, for its people and continue to support Iraq’s active regional and international donor coordination of critical reconstruction and assistance programmes, including through effective follow -up of international pledges;

(iv) Iraqi, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and other efforts on economic reform, capacity-building and setting conditions for sustainable development and recovery and reconstruction including in areas affected by terrorism, including through coordination with national and regional organizations and, as appropriate, civil society, donors, and other international institutions;

(v) the contributions of UN agencies, funds, and programmes to the objectives outlined in this resolution under the unified leadership of the Secretary-General through the Special Representative for Iraq, supported by their designated Deputy;

(d) promote accountability and the protection of human rights, and judicial and legal reform, with full respect for the sovereignty of Iraq, in order to strengthen the rule of law and improve governance in Iraq, in addition to supporting the work of the UN Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh/ISIL (UNITAD) established in resolution 2379 (2017);

(e) approach gender mainstreaming as a crosscutting issue throughout its mandate and to advise and assist the Government of Iraq in ensuring the full, equal and meaningful participation, involvement and representation of women at all levels of decision making, including in the context of elections and government formation, and the promotion of women’s economic empowerment, by supporting the implementation of the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security consistent with resolution 1325 (2000) and related resolutions, and the Joint Communique on Prevention and Response to Conflict Related Sexual Violence;

(f) Note the importance of treating children affected by armed conflict primarily as victims, and urge the Government of Iraq and UN Country Team to strengthen child protection, including the reintegration of children in accordance with Iraq’s national laws and Iraq’s obligations under international law, and to support the implementation of the conclusions of the Security Council’s Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict;

(g) and actively support the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government to work together and engage in regular and structured dialogue in order to resolve outstanding issues, in a manner consistent with the unity of Iraq and its constitution, including security provisions, budgetary arrangements and the management of Iraq’s oil and gas resources, and to implement existing agreements, including the 2020 Sinjar Agreement;

3. Recognizes that the security of UN personnel is essential for UNAMI to carry out its work for the benefit of the people of Iraq and calls upon the Government of Iraq to continue to provide security and logistical support to the UN presence in Iraq;

4. Expresses its intention to review the mandate and reporting cycle of UNAMI by 31 May 2023, or sooner, if requested by the Government of Iraq;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Council every four months on the progress made towards the fulfilment of all UNAMI’s responsibilities;

6. Decides to remain seized of the matter.

Adopted by the Security Council at its 9043rd meeting, on 26 May 2022.