United Nations Security Council Resolution 2697 – Threats to international peace and security (UNITAD)

Resolution 2697 (2023)

The Security Council,

Reaffirming its resolutions 1265 (1999), 1325 (2000), 1368 (2001), 1373 (2001), 1624 (2005), 1894 (2009), 2106 (2013), 2150 (2014), 2170 (2014), 2178 (2014), 2199 (2015), 2242 (2015), 2249 (2015), 2253 (2015), 2322 (2016), 2331 (2016), 2341 (2017), 2347 (2017), 2354 (2017), 2367 (2017), 2368 (2017), 2370 (2017), 2490 (2019), 2544 (2020), 2597 (2021), 2651 (2022) and its relevant presidential statements,

Reaffirming its respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence and unity of Iraq, in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,

Recalling that ISIL/Da’esh constitutes a global threat to international peace and security through its terrorist acts, its violent extremist ideology, its continued gross, systematic and widespread attacks directed against civilians, its violations of international humanitarian law and abuses of human rights, particularly those committed against women and children, and including those motivated by religious or ethnic grounds, and its recruitment and training of foreign terrorist fighters whose threat affects all regions and Member States,

Condemning the commission of acts by ISIL/Da’esh involving murder, kidnapping, hostage-taking, suicide bombings, enslavement, sale into or otherwise forced marriage, trafficking in persons, rape, sexual slavery and other forms of sexual violence, recruitment and use of children, attacks on critical infrastructure, as well as its destruction of cultural heritage, including archaeological sites, and trafficking of cultural property,

Recognizing that the commission of such acts which may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide, is part of the ideology and strategic objectives of ISIL/Da’esh, and used by ISIL/Da’esh as a tactic of terrorism, and that holding ISIL/Da’esh members accountable, particularly those who bear the greatest responsibility, including in terms of leadership, which can include regional or mid-level commanders, and the ordering and commission of crimes, will further expose this, and could assist in countering terrorism and violent extremism which can be conducive to terrorism, including by stemming financing and the continued flow of international recruits to the terrorist group ISIL/Da’esh,

Welcoming the considerable efforts of the Government of Iraq to defeat ISIL/Da’esh, and recalling its letter to the Secretary-General and Security Council dated 9 August 2017 calling for the assistance of the international community to ensure that members of ISIL/Da’esh are held accountable for their crimes in Iraq, including where those may amount to crimes against humanity (S/2017/710),

Expressing its appreciation for the valuable contribution of the Investigative Team established by resolution 2379 (2017) to support domestic efforts to hold members of ISIL/Da’esh accountable by collecting, preserving, and storing evidence in Iraq of acts that may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide committed by the terrorist group ISIL/Da’esh in Iraq,

Underscoring the importance of sharing evidence collected by the Investigative Team established by resolution 2379 (2017) with the relevant Iraqi authorities, in a timely manner, for eventual use in fair and independent criminal proceedings, consistent with the applicable international law and the Investigative Team’s Terms of Reference,

1. Reaffirms its resolution 2379 (2017), by which the Investigative Team, headed by a Special Adviser, was established; and recalls the terms of reference approved by the Council (S/2018/119);

2. Takes note of the request from the Government of Iraq for a non-extendable one year extension of the mandate of the Special Adviser and the Team contained in its letter dated 5 September 2023 (S/2023/654); and decides accordingly to extend the mandate of the Special Adviser and the Team until 17 September 2024 only;

3. Further takes note of the request from the Government of Iraq for the Investigative Team to promote national accountability in Iraq for members of ISIL/Da’esh and those who provided assistance and financing to this terrorist organisation by providing the evidence it has to the Government of Iraq within the next year;

4. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the Security Council, no later than 15 January 2024, a report setting out recommendations for implementing this request with full respect for the sovereignty of Iraq;

5. Requests the Investigative Team, with the approval of the Government of Iraq, determine the modalities for evidence sharing with third states, further requests that the Investigative Team communicate to the Government of Iraq on what previous evidence has been shared with third states, and recalls the importance of promoting throughout the world, accountability for acts that may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide committed by ISIL/Da’esh;

6. Requests the Special Adviser to continue to submit and present reports to the Council on the Team’s activities every 180 days and to develop, by 15 March 2024, in consultation with the Government of Iraq, a roadmap for the completion of the Team’s mandate, including with respect to Iraq’s request set out in paragraph 3 and the necessary steps for the Team’s closure;

7. Decides to remain seized of the matter.

Adopted by the Security Council at its 9419th meeting, on 15 September 2023.