UN committed to supporting ‘free, fair and transparent election with the participation of all Iraqis’

This article is published in association with United Nations.

The top UN official in Iraq reiterated his confidence in the resilience of the country’s people, and the determination of their leaders, in a briefing to the Security Council on Tuesday.   

“Iraq is a nation of profound history, strength, potential, and pride. By working together, Iraqis can continue to make meaningful strides towards stability, prosperity and human rights for all,” said Special Representative Mohamed Al Hassan, who also heads the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

He provided updates on political, human rights and other developments over the past six months, and the Mission’s ongoing support to the authorities as it prepares to leave at the end of the year.

UNAMI was established in 2003 and works to advance inclusive political dialogue as well as reconciliation at the national and community levels, among other mandated tasks.

Parliamentary elections ahead

At the outset, Mr. Hassan commended the Iraqi Government for providing humanitarian aid to people in Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen and Syria, and for supporting the new peace initiative between Türkiye and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, a militant group known as KPP.

He said Iraq is well on the way to fresh parliamentary elections set for 11 November, and the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) is making notable progress towards polling day, with UNAMI’s technical support.

Although voter registration should conclude in the coming days, and nearly three-quarters of all voters have completed biometric registration, challenges and logistical concerns remain.

Supporting the vote

“But IHEC is committed to doing its best towards a free, fair and transparent election with the participation of all Iraqis without fear and intimidation,” he said.

“UNAMI will spare no effort in providing the most professional technical support towards this end, including efforts to promote the widest participation of women, youth and minorities.”

Mr. Al Hassan also reported on the aftermath of the successful parliamentary elections held in the Kurdistan region in northern Iraq last October. With formation of a regional government still outstanding, he called for a spirit of compromise to break the impasse.

Returnees from Syria

Turning to other matters, he said more than 800 Iraqis recently returned from the Al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria.  For years, thousands of people from Syria, Iraq and other countries have been held at the notorious complex for their alleged ties to Daesh extremists.

He said the development is an indication of the Iraqi Government’s commitment to accelerating returns of its citizens, with UN support.

“It is nevertheless essential that adequate resources are invested in supporting a dignified reintegration of returning families, and in ensuring a fair judicial process for the detainees who are being repatriated,” he added.

© UNICEF/Diego Ibarra Sánchez

A 14-year-old Yazidi girl prepares for an exam in the Shekhan camp for internally displaced persons.

Concern for Yazidi community

Meanwhile, the situation of people displaced within Iraq continues to demand urgent attention. They include members of the Yazidi minority community who are living in camps and informal settlements in harsh conditions.

More than a decade has passed since Dae’sh fighters attacked the Yazidi’s ancestral homeland around Sinjar, in northern Iraq, committing atrocities such as executions, forced conversions and abducting thousands of women and girls into sexual slavery.

Mr. Al Hassan said the Iraqi Government’s recent recognition of Yazidi land rights was “a significant milestone,” with over 1,300 ownership letters and nearly 100 title deeds distributed this year.  Yet he stressed the need for a national plan that provides durable solutions.

End the injustice

“The return process cannot just be physical relocation, it needs to be a meaningful process that rebuilds lives, livelihoods, and hope for the future,” he said.

Speaking in Arabic, he said the Yazidis “have been greatly harmed in a manner that cannot be described.” He called on all concerned in Iraq and neighbouring countries “to take all the necessary measures” to protect them.

“We think it is important to put an end to this injustice that has been imposed on the Yazidi Iraqi people, and to guarantee their return to their homes and to their areas in dignity and in pride.”

Uphold human rights

Moving on, he said that “commitment to human rights is at the heart of Iraq’s stability and development.”  He pointed to measures including progress towards a draft law on minority rights and the adoption of a national strategy to counter hate speech.

“Among the human rights files that must be dealt with urgently is that of those who have been disappeared and those who are in jail without any legal and just and transparent trials,” he said.

Planned withdrawal

Regarding UNAMI, he said that “the Mission continues to pursue a structured transition according to schedule and in close cooperation with the Government of Iraq Transition Team.”

Its offices in Mosul and Kirkuk have closed and staffing levels are being gradually reduced, with the goal of balancing the drawdown as mandated tasks continue.  This is taking place “in a context of serious financial constraints impacting the United Nations as a whole,” he added.

Before concluding his remarks, Mr. Al Hassan underlined his “complete trust and confidence in Iraq and Iraqis and the ability of this great country, which is among the founding members of the United Nations to regain its status among the nations.”

He said the UN “will spare no effort in our cooperation and our assistance because we believe in this country and its potential, and its capacities and the capabilities of its people.”