Security Council resolution 2576 (2021) [on extension of the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) until 27 May 2022]
Symbol: S/RES/2576 (2021)
Date: 2021-05-27
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/76 [124] UN ASSISTANCE MISSION FOR IRAQ
S/76 [119] IRAQ SITUATION
S/ X The situation concerning Iraq.
Subjects: UN Assistance Mission for Iraq|UN. Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq|PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS|PEACEBUILDING|GOOD OFFICES|ELECTIONS|ELECTION VERIFICATION|IRAQ|IRAQ SITUATION
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: ESTONIA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: INDIA
vote: yes
country: IRELAND
vote: yes
country: KENYA
vote: yes
country: MEXICO
vote: yes
country: NIGER
vote: yes
country: NORWAY
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
vote: yes
country: TUNISIA
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes
country: VIET NAM
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                      S/RES/2576 (2021)
               Security Council                                                  Distr.: General
                                                                                 27 May 2021




               Resolution 2576 (2021)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 8780th meeting,
               on 27 May 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) and reiterating
               resolution 2107 (2013) 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 welcoming
               efforts to clear areas of such devices,
                     Commending the Government of Iraq’s efforts to plan and execute genuinely
               free and fair Iraqi-led, Iraqi-owned early elections that are inclusive, credible, and
               participatory, and welcoming the Government of Iraq’s request for further UN
               electoral advice, support, and technical assistance in this regard, including through
               the good offices of the Special Representative of the Secretary -General,
                     Welcoming the request of the Government of Iraq, reflected in the letter from its
               Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Security Council on 11 Februar y 2021
               (S/2021/135), and recognizing Iraq’s efforts toward free and fair Iraqi-led elections
               that are inclusive, including with the full, equal and meaningful participation of
               women, and viewed by the Iraqi people as credible, as a decisive step for Iraq and
               Iraqis, reaffirming its support for the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC)
               whose role is instrumental for successful elections, and encouraging international
               partners of Iraq, including relevant regional organizations, to respond positively to



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               Iraq’s call to send electoral observers ahead of the elections, and encourage
               international community engagement in this regard,
                     Noting the Government of Iraq’s desire to see displaced persons return to t heir
               areas of origin or resettle elsewhere, stressing the importance of achieving dignified,
               safe, and durable solutions undertaken on a voluntary and informed basis,
                     Welcoming the adoption of the Yazidi Female Survivors Law, recognizing the
               efforts to accelerate the implementation of its provisions, underlining the importance
               of its effective and timely implementation, 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,
               the humanitarian situation and stability in Iraq, and emphasizing the need for
               comprehensive risk assessments by the Government of Iraq with the sup port 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,
                     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,
                     Welcoming efforts by the Government of Iraq to urgently deliver 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, and calling for
               State institutions to redouble efforts to pursue accountability for those responsible for
               crimes involving the killing, serious injury, abduction and disappearance against
               demonstrators and journalists, and to safeguard and respect the right of freedom of
               expression, and welcomes the call of Prime Minister of Iraq for an inclusive national
               dialogue to strengthen Iraqi unity,
                     Welcoming the 2021 budget agreement reached by the Federal Government of
               Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq,
                     Recalling the fundamental principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and
               consular premises, and the obligations on host Governments, inc luding 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,
                    Calling on the international community to remain strongly committed to
               providing support to Iraq for its humanitarian, stabilization, reconstruction, and
               development efforts,
                     1.   Decides to extend the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission
               for Iraq (UNAMI) until 27 May 2022;
                    2. Decides further that the Special Representative of the Secretary-General
               and UNAMI, taking into account the letter from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the
               Government of Iraq to the Security Council on 11 February 2021 ( S/2021/135), shall:



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                 (a) provide a strengthened, robust and visible UN team, with additional staff,
           in advance of Iraq’s forthcoming election, to monitor Iraq’s election day with as broad
           a geographic coverage as possible, to continue to assist with the election, in a manner
           that respects Iraqi sovereignty, and report to the Secretary-General on the election
           process;
                 (b) engage, encourage, and coordinate with, and provide, as appropriate,
           logistical and security support to international and regional third -party observers
           invited by the Government of Iraq;
                 (c) launch a UN strategic messaging campaign to educate, inform, and update
           Iraqi voters on election preparations, and UN activities in support of elections in
           advance of and on election day;
                  3.   Requests the Secretary-General to provide a detailed summary report to
           the Council on Iraq’s electoral process and UNAMI’s assistance to that process, no
           later than 30 days after the conclusion of Iraq’s forthcoming elections;
                 4.   Requests further that the Special Representative of the Secretary-General
           and UNAMI, at the request of the Government of Iraq, and taking into account th e
           letter from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iraq to the Secretary -General
           (S/2021/135), 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 and the Independent High Electoral Commission
                   with efforts to plan and execute genuinely free and fair Iraqi -led, Iraqi-owned
                   elections and referenda, including through regular technical reviews and
                   detailed reporting on electoral preparations and proce sses, 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, 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 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;
                   (ii) the coordination and implementation of programmes to improve Iraq’s
                   capacity to provide effective essential civil and social services, including health

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                    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;
                    (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 internationa l
                    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 throu ghout 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 the promotion o f
               women’s economic empowerment, by supporting the implementation of the National
               Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security in accordance with resolution 1325 (2000)
               and related resolutions;
                     (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 encourage both the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional
               Government to implement fully their 2021 budget agreement and to negotiate
               agreements on other outstanding issues;
                     5.    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 Governme nt
               of Iraq to continue to provide security and logistical support to the UN presence in
               Iraq;
                  6.   Expresses its intention to review the mandate and reporting cycle of
               UNAMI by 27 May 2022, or sooner, if requested by the Government of Iraq;
                    7.    Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Council every three months
               on the progress made towards the fulfilment of all UNAMI’s responsibilities;
                    8.    Decides to remain seized of the matter.




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