UN / IRAQ UNAMI

The head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, said that long-awaited reforms in the banking and finance sectors are now underway, adding that the Iraqi parliament adopted the Federal Budget Law, which represents the highest proportionate allocation to the delivery of social services yet. UNIFEED

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:06
• Production Date: 10 October 2023
• Asset Language: Arabic; English
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS ASSISTANCE MISSION FOR IRAQ - UNAMI
• Subject Topical: PEACE AND SECURITY
• Geographic Subject: IRAQ
• MAMS Id: 3109822
• Parent Id: 3109822
• Alternate Title: unifeed231010c

Description

STORY: UN / IRAQ UNAMI
TRT: 2:06
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 10 OCTOBER 2023, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

Shotlist

FILE – NEW YORK CITY

1.Wide shot, exterior, United Nations Headquarters

10 OCTOBER 2023, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq:
“Long-awaited reforms in the banking and finance sectors are now underway. One example is the launch of an electronic platform for foreign currency sales, which demonstrates the Government’s commitment to both transparency and efficiency.”
4. Wide shot, Security Council
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq:
“A new Iraq Fund for Development has been established. This, coupled with the change ushered in by the recently adopted federal budget, has the potential to spur private sector investment.”
6. Wide shot, Security Council
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq:
“Climate change and water scarcity are, of course, other obvious threat multipliers. This past summer, again, temperatures in Iraq exceeded 50 degrees Celsius. And last June, IOM recorded almost 14,000 families as internally displaced because of drought conditions across 10 of Iraq’s governorates. Needless to say: if left unaddressed, this is only the beginning of a rather nightmarish situation. Hence, it is for good reasons that the Government has made the issue of water security one of its top priorities.”
8. Wide shot, Security Council
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq:
“I am aware of the ongoing efforts by the Government to end displacement. But further progress on enabling people to return to their areas of origin, including Jurf al-Sakhr and Sinjar, remains critical. Equally important is much-needed momentum to enact legislation on enforced disappearances, as well as the amendment to the Amnesty Law.”
10. Wide shot, Security Council
11. SOUNDBITE (Arabi) Iraq Representative to the United Nations:
“Iraq believes that combating terrorism is a collective responsibility of all countries and therefore Iraq pledges to continue its efforts to combat terrorism and achieve security and peace.”
12. Wide shot, Security Council

Storyline

The head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, briefed Security Council members on recent developments in Iraq and the Secretary-General’s latest report on UNAMI.

Speaking via a video link today (10 Oct), she noted that long-awaited reforms in the banking and finance sectors are now underway, adding that the Iraqi parliament adopted the Federal Budget Law, which represents the highest proportionate allocation to the delivery of social services yet, and will hopefully expand access to healthcare, education and other services.

Hennis-Plasschaert also said, ““Climate change and water scarcity are, of course, other obvious threat multipliers.”

She explained that this past summer, again, temperatures in Iraq exceeded 50 degrees Celsius. And last June, IOM recorded almost 14,000 families as internally displaced because of drought conditions across 10 of Iraq’s governorates.

“If left unaddressed, this is only the beginning of a rather nightmarish situation. Hence, it is for good reasons that the Government has made the issue of water security one of its top priorities,” the head of the Mission reiterated.

Hennis-Plasschaert said that she is aware of the ongoing efforts by the Government to end displacement, “but further progress on enabling people to return to their areas of origin, including Jurf al-Sakhr and Sinjar, remains critical.”

She continued, “Equally important is much-needed momentum to enact legislation on enforced disappearances, as well as the amendment to the Amnesty Law.”

Iraq Representative to the United Nations told Council Members that his country believes that “combating terrorism is a collective responsibility of all countries and therefore Iraq pledges to continue its efforts to combat terrorism and achieve security and peace.”