Category: Unami

Madam President,

I thank the Special Representative for her briefing. I welcome the presence among us this morning of the representatives of Iraq and Kuwait.

France welcomes the efforts of the Iraqi government to implement the reforms awaited by the Iraqi population, and calls for their continuation.

France welcomed the smooth holding of provincial elections on December 18, the first since 2013. We welcome the support provided by UNAMI to the Independent High Electoral Commission. Recent announcements concerning the appointment of new local authorities are encouraging. France hopes that parliamentary elections can be held in Iraqi Kurdistan as soon as possible.

We encourage Iraq to pursue its reforms, as announced by the Iraqi Prime Minister, particularly in terms of diversifying its economy, fighting corruption and impunity, and protecting human rights.

With regards the relations between Baghdad and Erbil, France calls for a resumption of dialogue, particularly on the sharing of oil revenues and security issues. This is in the interest of both parties.

Madam President,

France will closely examine the conclusions of the strategic review on UNAMI next March.

This strategic review requested by the Security Council is independent, and we will carefully look at its conclusions and recommendations. France welcomes the essential role played by UNAMI in providing assistance to Iraq in many areas, while fully respecting its sovereignty. France thanks and congratulates the Special Representative for the exceptional commitment she has demonstrated in the service of Iraq and the Iraqi people throughout her mandate over the past five years.

As a strategic partner of Iraq, France will continue to listen to the Iraqi authorities on the future of UNAMI. Our shared objective is for any change in its mandate to be successful, and we will work together with Iraq and the United Nations to achieve that.

France is…

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9543RD MEETING (AM)
SC/15578
6 FEBRUARY 2024

Restraint is required to create the environment Iraq needs to consolidate hard-won stability and realize sustainable progress, the senior United Nations official in the country told the Security Council today, amidst United States air strikes in Iraqi territory on 2 February and the ongoing conflict in nearby Gaza.

“Messaging by strikes only serves to heighten tensions, to kill or injure people and to destroy property,” stressed Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), as she briefed the Council on the Secretary-General’s reports concerning missing Kuwaiti and third-country nationals and missing Kuwaiti property (document S/2024/95) and concerning UNAMI (document S/2024/96).

If attacks originating from within and outside of Iraq’s borders continue, this will undo the country’s hard-won stability and other achievements made over the past 18 months, she said. An enabling environment is essential for Iraq to continue on its path of stability and progress, but such an environment requires restraint from all sides. While spotlighting certain progress — including the holding of local elections for the first time in 10 years on 18 December 2023 — she emphasized that climate-change-related events “combine to paint a rather bleak picture, in which existing fault lines come under increasing pressure”.

Also updating on events in the Kurdistan region and the Iraqi Government’s commitment to the issue of missing Kuwaiti and third-country nationals and missing Kuwaiti property, she nevertheless emphasized that swifter progress is needed. Further, the Government’s plans for sustainable progress, real reform and better living standards will become more difficult to realize with each passing year. Therefore reiterating the importance of ceasing attacks and creating an enabling environment, she stated: “It is quite simple: the enormous risks and potential devastating consequences…

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Thank you, Madam President, I would like to welcome the representatives of Iraq and Kuwait to the chamber.

Let me start by thanking the Special Representative for her briefing, and for the important work of the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq. I would like to highlight three points of particular importance for the UK.

First, we commend the progress being made by Iraq across the breadth of political and economic issues set out by the Special Representative. UNAMI’s contribution to that progress is deeply valued by the United Kingdom. We look forward to discussing the outcome of the Strategic Review being led by Volker Perthes and the future shape and function of UNAMI, in discussion with relevant parties, including of course the sovereign state of Iraq.

Second, Iraq has the potential to play a strong stabilising role in the region. To do so, it is critical that its territory not be used by Iranian proxies to destabilise the region. We offer our condolences to the families of those killed in Iran’s 15 January strike on Erbil. We urge Iran to deescalate tensions in the region. We reiterate our commitment to the Global Coalition against Daesh, which operates within Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government, as well as our commitment to a secure and sovereign Iraq.

Third, we congratulate Iraq on holding its first provincial elections for a decade. We look forward to the holding of elections in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq without further delay and encourage all relevant actors to take steps to ensure necessary preparations are made to ensure they are free, fair and timely. We hope a sustainable outcome on the transfer of budget allocations from Baghdad to Erbil can be agreed and we encourage relevant political parties to play a constructive role to support that.

Finally, Madam President, we…

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Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023) Report of the Secretary-General {S/2024/96) – Iraq | ReliefWeb Skip to main content

Iraq

Format UN Document Source Posted 6 Feb 2024 Originally published 6 Feb 2024 Origin View original

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Introduction

1. The present report is submitted pursuant to Security Council resolution 2682 (2023), in which the Secretary-General was requested to report every four months on progress made towards fulfilling the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). The report covers key developments relating to Iraq and provides an update on the activities of the United Nations in Iraq since his previous report of 26 September 2023 (S/2023/700) and the briefing to the Security Council by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq and Head of UNAMI on 10 October 2023.

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Researchers from the Center for Marine Science and Limnology Research at the University of Costa Rica have unveiled the migration patterns of the endangered Pacific catshark (Ginglymostoma unami). This has also shed light on the challenges the species currently faces.

The Pacific catshark, native to the Eastern Tropical Pacific and typically found from southern Mexico to Peru, currently faces a critical threat of extinction, designated as “Endangered” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. The decline in its populations, largely attributed to intentional or accidental capture in coastal artisanal fisheries, necessitates urgent conservation efforts.

Since 2018, the research center has been employing passive acoustic telemetry to gain insights into the movements and habitat utilization of threatened marine species, including the Pacific catshark. This technique involves tagging the sharks with acoustic transmitters, allowing researchers to monitor their movements over extended periods.

An acoustic-tagged Pacific catshark, a 176 cm male, was detected by an acoustic receiver belonging to the Center for the Rescue of Endangered Marine Species (CREMA) in Rio Bongo, Nicoya Peninsula, approximately 200 km away from its tagging site in Bahía Santa Elena Marine Management Area (MMA) on the northern Pacific coast of Costa Rica. This observation represents the longest movement recorded for the species.

The shark, tagged in May 2019, displayed an astonishing average daily travel distance of at least 19 km. Returning to its original location in Santa Elena Bay in July 2019, it covered a total distance ranging from 390 to 460 km in less than two months. Subsequent data revealed intermittent detections within St. Helena Bay, with the latest recorded in December 2023.

These findings were published in the “Long-distance dispersal of the endangered Pacific nurse shark (Ginglymostoma unami, Orectolobiformes) in…

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KUWAIT CITY, Jan 31, (KUNA): The State of Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have renewed their call on neighboring Iraq to adhere to the agreement signed with Kuwait in 2012 on regulating the navigation in Khor Abdullah waterway. This came in a joint statement issued after His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Sabah’s visit to the Kingdom on Tuesday and his talks with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, and Crown Prince and Prince Minister Mohammad bin Salman Al-Saud. The two sides noted that the Khor Abdullah agreement entered into force on December 5, 2013 after its ratification by both countries and was jointly deposited with the United Nations on December 18, 2013.

They also rejected Iraq’s unilaterally cancelling of the security exchange protocol hammered out between Kuwait and Iraq in 2008 and its endorsed map signed between Kuwait and Iraq on December 28, 2014, which included a clear and specific mechanism for their amendment and cancellation. The two sides reiterated support for the UN Security Council Resolution No. 2107 (2013), which requests the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) to enhance and facilitate search for and determining the fate of missing Kuwaitis and third-country nationals or restoring the framework of the Tripartite Committee and its technical subcommittee, under the supervision of the International Committee of the Red Cross and returning the seized Kuwaiti property, including the national archives.

They urged the UN Security Council to continue following up on these important issues and the UN Secretary General to present regular report on the achieved progress and UNAMI efforts in this regard by paragraph four of the aforementioned…

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Recent years have seen a host of truly unique experimental gins come to market – and this latest Wagyu fat-washed offering is no exception.

Vegans might want to look away now, as this carni-tastic spirit harnesses the power of red meat.

Uniting the worlds of beef farming and spirits, Warrendale Wagyu, a UK Wagyu producer with farms located across Lancashire, has launched its very own beef fat gin named Wa-Gyn.

Wagyu beef has long been a prized delicacy, primarily due to high fat content which not only adds a rich flavour to the meat, but causes a distinctive marbling-effect.

So imagine the delight when the news broke that the flavourful delicacy was now available in spirit form.

Coming in at 44% ABV, the gin is washed with molten Wagyu fat for 48 hours before being triple filtered.

Sounds rather luxurious, doesn’t it?

Latching onto the current umami trend (savoury tastes and aromas), the distinctive juniper taste is complimented by notes of ruby grapefruit, lemon grass and warming pink peppercorn.

Tom Richardson, Warrendale Wagyu’s managing director, said: “We strive to be at the forefront of innovation, which is why we have launched the first fat-washed gin available in the UK.

“With the past year seeing great success for the business, it seemed right for us to expand our use of Wagyu into new areas.

“While it is uncommon for gin to be fat-washed, we spotted a gap in the market and have carefully combined juniper with flavoursome fruits and herbs to create a drink that tastes fantastic.

“For those celebrating Ginuary or who enjoy gin in general, this needs to be added to your list, as it will leave you impressed with the luxurious taste.”

• Discover the best…

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Election watchdog ‘Democracy Watch’, which had earlier warned Comelec of Miru System’s disastrous performance in the recent Iran and Congo elections, had rejected what they described as the firm’s ‘blanket denials’.

According to a statement issued by Democracy Watch “facts and evidence must be the sole qualifier in this process and not simply statements in response by the proponents.” Miru Systems Co. Ltd. from South Korea is the lone bidder in the ongoing procurement process.

Citing a report by the Carter Center, an international election observation mission that deployed long-term observers across Congo, the election watchdog said that the center confirmed the technical failures, stating that “… the quality of the voter register has been questioned by numerous interlocutors, who have cited concerns about the quality and transparency of the process.”

“The Center also stated that observers in around 22% of polling stations witnessed technical problems and prolonged periods of machine inoperability which led to the closure of some polling stations. This has led to the Congo election commission extending voting for another day,” the report said.

The elecdtion watchdog further presented statements coming from Congo’s own watchdog groups, the Election Observation Mission of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) and the Church of Christ in Congo (ECC) which said that “preliminary election report gathered from 60,000 nationwide volunteers mentioned that 45.1% of the polling stations experienced problems with their electronic voting machines.”

“Breakdowns and technical errors were rampant, thereby delaying voting and creating confusion among voters,” the Congolese groups said.

The Democracy Watch also took exception to Miru’s statement that the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) had declared the elections as “fair and successful.”

The poll watchdog said that it needs to be confirmed because of its “inconsistency with the published statement of UNAMI that “it will not observe or…

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Today, lawyers for journalist and editor of the Arabic section at Roj News Agency, Suleiman Ahmed, who was kidnapped by Kurdistan Democratic Party security on October 25 at the Fish Khabour crossing and whose fate remains unknown, met with the head of the United Nations Assistance Office for Iraq (UNAMI), Carolina Moreno, and discussed Suleiman’s case.

One of journalist Suleiman Ahmed Nariman Ahmed’s lawyers spoke to Roj News Agency about the meeting with the head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and stated that the meeting lasted for more than an hour and a fruitful meeting was held about the case.

Nariman Ahmed added; He said: “During the meeting, we talked about the obstacles faced by journalists and civil society activists in the Kurdistan region by the political authorities, as well as violations of freedom of thought and violations of human rights and freedom of the press.”

Nariman Ahmed noted, “During the meeting, we talked about the case of journalist Suleiman Ahmed, who was kidnapped by the security forces of the Kurdistan Democratic Party on October 25, 2023. We stressed that since then, despite all the efforts made by his family, lawyers, activists, journalists, organizations and unions at the local and international levels, but his fate is still unknown. In addition, a statement was issued by Dohuk security after pressure from public opinion. We also talked about the fact that Suleiman Ahmed is in prison and accused of spying for a political party.”

Regarding the legal status of journalist Suleiman Ahmed, his lawyers shared this information with the official of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq: “Suleiman Ahmed was not a member of any political party. He is an independent journalist and works with Roj News Agency, which is an official and well-known agency licensed in…

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