United Nations Security Council Resolution 2682 – The situation concerning Iraq (UNAMI)

Resolution 2682 (2023)

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), 2470 (2019), 2522 (2020), 2576 (2021), 2631 (2022), 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 ISIL (Da’esh), and encouraging the international community to continue supporting 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 (Da’esh), Al-Qaida and their affiliates, consistent with its obligations under international law including international human rights law and international humanitarian law 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,

Welcoming the confirmation of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani’s government by the Council of Representatives,

Encouraging the recently formed government to deliver on reforms, aimed at meeting the Iraqi people’s legitimate aspirations, to address corruption, respect and protect the human rights of all individuals in Iraq, promote accountability for human rights violations and abuses, deliver essential services, diversify the economy, create jobs, improve governance, combat climate change and environmental and water-related challenges, and strengthen viable and responsive state institutions, including the security sector,

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 human rights violations and abuses including the killing, serious injury, abduction or disappearance of demonstrators and journalists, including women and to safeguard and respect the rule of law and the right to freedom of expression,

Welcoming the Government of Iraq’s efforts to assist internally displaced persons and displaced Iraqis in Syria to return and reintegrate to their areas of origin or resettle elsewhere in Iraq, encouraging again international support for those efforts, and stressing the importance of achieving dignified, safe and durable solutions undertaken on a voluntary and informed basis,

Recognizing the progress the Government of Iraq has made in implementing the Yazidi Survivors Law, establishing the General Directorate for Survivors Affairs and disbursing the first payments to survivors and victims, noting that the lack of inclusion of children born of conflict-related sexual violence needs to be addressed, including all administrative obstacles to obtain registration and documentation for these children, acknowledging the need to ensure a survivor-centered approach in which reparations and redress measures are continued, and evidentiary standards and requirements are not overly burdensome, discriminatory, or risk re-traumatizing and calling on the Government of Iraq to hold perpetrators of conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence accountable and provide mental health and psychosocial support to all survivors and victims,

Recognizing that the adverse effects of climate change, ecological changes, and natural disasters, among other factors, can contribute to desertification and drought, sand and dust storms, adversely impact food security, water scarcity, livelihoods, and 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, acknowledging the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, and welcoming the Government of Iraq’s efforts to that effect, in particular noting the Government of Iraq’s accession to the UN Water Convention and the Iraq Climate Conference as well as the third Baghdad International Water Conference in 2023,

Calling on the international community to support durable solutions and development efforts while the Government of Iraq assumes responsibility for the provision of humanitarian services,

Noting the Government of Iraq’s support for an Independent Strategic Review shared in the letter dated 18 May 2023 from the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iraq H.E. Fuad Hussein addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations,

1. Decides to extend the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) until 31 May 2024;

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, with the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women, taking into account civil society and youth input;

(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 to ensure free and fair elections, including provincial elections and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq parliamentary elections, carried out with transparent 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 age appropriate and gender-responsive 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, clearance of landmines, improvised explosive devices and explosive remnants of war, 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 safe, timely, orderly, voluntary and dignified return or local integration, as appropriate, of internally displaced persons, and displaced Iraqis in Syria, 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;

(ii) the coordination and implementation of programmes to improve Iraq’s capacity to provide effective essential civil and social services, including health care, inclusive of psychosocial support services, and education, for its people and continue to support Iraq’s regional and international donor coordination towards strengthening national ownership;

(iii) 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;

(iv) 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, including by consulting with diverse women’s civil society groups, 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; and

3. Requests that the Secretary-General, in line with best practices, conduct and provide the Security Council, no later than 31 March 2024, with an independent strategic review of UNAMI, in consultation with the Government of Iraq, in addition to UN agencies, member States, regional organisations, independent experts and civil society, and the Government of Kuwait, consistent with paragraph 4 of resolution 2107 (2013), including:

(a) assessing current threats to Iraq’s peace and security, assessing the continued relevance of UNAMI’s tasks and priorities, and providing recommendations to optimize UNAMI’s mandate, mission structure and staffing to support the Government of Iraq in addressing the challenges of peace and security;

(b) further assessing the options to support the Government of Iraq in strengthening effective regional cooperation on issues outlined in paragraph 2(b)(iv);

4. 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;

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 9331st meeting, on 30 May 2023.