Informing humanitarians worldwide 24/7 — a service provided by UN OCHA

Iraq

ISHM: November 29 - December 6, 2018

Key Takeaways:

  • Prime Minister Abdul Mahdi fails to secure confirmation of remaining ministers by Parliament – On December 4, Iraqi PM Adel Abdul Mahdi released the names of his final eight nominations for ministerial positions in the Iraqi Cabinet. The same day, the Iraqi Council of Representatives blocked the confirmations of the remaining eight ministerial positions and then adjourned the parliamentary session. more…

  • UN pushes Iraq’s leadership to invest in reconstruction, create conditions for return of IDPs and tackle water crisis – On November 28, the Deputy Special Representative of UN Secretary-General in Iraq, Marta Ruedas, co-chaired a meeting with the Iraqi Council of Ministers. Ruedas urged the Iraqi government to encourage the international community to continue to provide financial support for stabilization and called on the Iraqi federal government to contribute to those efforts as well to enable the UNDP to fully support efforts for stabilizing Iraq. On December 1, Ruedas, met with Iraqi Minister of Finance Fuad Hussein and discussed possible contribution of the Iraqi government to the UNDP Stabilization Program. On December 2, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Iraq, Jan Kubis, met with Babil Province Governor, Karrar al-Abadi. Kubis encouraged investment in water management to deal with climate change and water scarcity. more…

  • KDP nominates members of the Barzani family to KRG PM and presidential positions, encountering opposition from the New Generation Movement – On December 3, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) nominated Nechirvan Barzani as the next president of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). The KDP also nominated Masrour Barzani, son of former President Masoud Barzani, to take over as the current Prime Minister. In response, the New Generation Movement, which currently holds eight seats in the KRG Parliament,rejected the nomination of members of the Barzani family to continue to hold both the Presidency and the Prime Minister’s Office of the KRG. more…

  • Iraqi Cabinet briefed on effects of flooding; New EU report provides new assessment regarding effects of flooding in Ninewa and Salah al-Din – On December 4, the Iraqi Council of Ministers was briefed on recovery efforts following devastating floods. The Cabinet considered a measure to ensure payments to households and businesses impacted by the floods and reviewed a long-term plan for recovery efforts. On December 6, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations released an assessment of the recent flood impacts in Ninewa and Salah ad-Din Provinces. more…

  • Iran reportedly assassinates critics in Iraq; al-Maliki condemns Saudi Arabia’s attempts to decrease Iranian influence in Iraq; Iraq’s energy sector will continue to require imports from Iran – On November 29, the British Newspaper, The Daily Telegraph, released a report that Iran is involved in using ‘teams of hit squads’ to silence critics within Iraq. On December 2, former Iraqi Prime Minister and leader of the State of Law Coalition, Nouri al-Maliki, condemned efforts from Saudi Arabia to include Iraq in an alliance against neighboring Iran. On December 6, a senior Iraqi energy official said that Iraq needed at least two years to increase its gas production before the energy sector could sustain itself without imports from Iran. more…

  • Fewest number of civilians killed in armed conflict and terrorism in six years; Iraqi air force continues to bomb militant targets – On December 2, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) released data on the number of civilians killed in terrorist attacks, violence and armed conflict for the month of November. 41 Iraqi civilians were killed while 73 were injured in November, the lowest in six years of data collection. On December 3, Rudaw News reported that coalition strikes targeted a militant group’s hideout in Kifri, Iraq. more…

  • Iraqi and UN officials deal with aftermath of ISIS atrocities – On November 30, Iraqi officials released a video of a Jamal al-Mashadani, a mid-level Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) operative who confessed to capturing Kurdish forces and parading them throughout cities in Northern Iraq in early 2015.On December 4, Karim Ahmad Khan, the Special Adviser and Head of the United Nations (UN) Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by [ISIS], briefed the UN Security Council on his report on how to move forward in creating a peaceful Iraq and holding militants accountable. more…

  • Protests resume in Basra; Authorities respond with security measures and detention of protesters; Basra governor to visit KRG – On December 4, protests resumed in the southern province of Basra as protesters wore “yellow jackets” similar to those work by protesters in Paris. On December 6, the Director for the Office of the High Commission for Human Rights in Basra told Alsumaria News that at least nine protesters were released after being arrested on December 4. On December 5, Rudaw News reported that Basra Governor Asaad al-Eidani would visit the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) seeking advice from Kurdish leaders on how to deal with demonstrations in the province. more…

  • New assessment of humanitarian needs around Baquba city; EU issues new report on Iraqi asylum seekers – On November 30, REACH Initiative released a report documenting the needs in communities surrounding Baquba City in Diyala Province. The same day, the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) published a report titled “Country of Origin Information (COI) – Iraq Actors of Protection.” The report is the first of a four-part series on Iraq that will be released in 2018 and 2019. The report documents the number of Iraqi citizens who have applied for international protections in EU countries in 2017-2018. The report focuses on Iraq’s ability to provide civilian protection and justice. more…

  • Iraqi Red Crescent distributes aid to Iraqis displaced by floods; Flooding affects Mosul – On December 2, the Iraqi Red Crescent Society (IRCS) announced increased efforts to assist Iraqi citizens affected by the devastating floods in Salah ad-Din, Wasit, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Maysan, and Diwaniya provinces. On December 3, Al Jazeera reported that roughly 85 families in Mosul, Iraq were displaced following flash flooding. more…

  • UN tackles IDP issue with Kirkuk governor and civil society; Human rights and civil society NGOs raise concern over abuses against families with alleged ties to ISIS – On December 2, the Deputy Special Representative of UN Secretary-General in Iraq, Marta Ruedas, met with the Governor of Kirkuk, Rakan Jubouri to discuss the ongoing humanitarian and development efforts. On December 3, Voice of America published a report warning officials of the problems families linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) are facing when returning to Mosul. more…

  • Italy to provide support for mine-clearing in Iraq; UN encourages civil society engagement in politics; Iraq partners with UN to tackle pollution – On December 3, Italian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Emanuela Del Re, announced the Italian federal government would assist the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and the International Red Cross by providing funds for 12 mine clearance projects. On December 4, the Deputy Special Representative for Political Affairs and Electoral Assistance of the United Nations (UN) Assistance Mission for Iraq, Alice Walpole, spoke with activists at the Al-Rafidain Center on Dialogue in Najaf, Iraq. On December 5, the United Nations (UN) Environment Programme released a report documenting current efforts by the Iraqi federal government and the UN Environment Programme to clean toxic chemicals which still threaten many areas of Iraq. more…

For more background on most of the institutions, key actors, political parties, and locations mentioned in our takeaways or in the stories that follow, see the ISHM Reference Guide.