UN welcomes Kuwait role in raising funds for humanitarian aid in Iraq
UN seeks $700m from donors
NEW YORK, Feb 14, (KUNA): The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Iraq welcomed on Wednesday Kuwait’s role in raising funds for humanitarian programs in Iraq.
Briefing the UN Security Council on the situation in Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, also Head of United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), pledged to engage with the file on the missing Kuwaiti and third-country nationals and missing Kuwaiti property.
On the humanitarian situation in Iraq, she said the UN aims to meet the needs of 1.75 million vulnerable Iraqis this year, and its 2019 Humanitarian Response Plan seeks $700 million from donors.
It will take many years and billions of dollars to rebuild the country, she said.
Regarding the new government in Iraq, she said, with the formation of the government still incomplete, it is high time for leaders to shift the focus from factional politics and invest in addressing the immediate needs of the citizens.
The UN top representative in Iraq called on political actors to overcome infighting and allow compromise to prevail in the interest of the Iraqi people.
Four ministerial positions remain vacant, three of which are subject to fierce disagreements among political blocs, she said, adding that there are experienced Iraqi women well-qualified for jobs in government.
Noting some positive developments, including the 2019 budget allocations for the electricity sector, she said such a move reflects the Government’s efforts to improve basic service delivery.
However, funding for reconstruction in liberated areas is far less available than what is needed, the UNAMI chief stressed.
State finances are strongly reliant on oil sector revenues, which are vulnerable to fluctuations in oil prices. Corruption also remains vast and fighting it is not easy, she cautioned.
On terrorism, she said although terrorist activities have decreased, the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/ Da’esh) continues to pose a security threat to the whole region, while armed groups are expanding their economic and social reach.
She also expressed concern about Turkey’s military airstrikes on alleged Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) targets near the Iraqi-Turkish border, and the loss of civilian life and livelihoods.
She welcomed the agreement reached in January between the Federal Government and the Kurdistan Regional Government to unify customs duties.
“A speedy implementation of this agreement should now be a priority for both sides,” she added.