Mister President,
I would like to thank the new Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq and Head of UNAMI, Mohamed Al Hassan, for his first address to this Council. We wish him every success in his mission, which comes at an important time of transition for Iraq and the United Nations. We also thank Hanna Edward for her intervention and welcome the presence among us of the representatives of Iraq and Kuwait.
As this is our last statement on UNAMI and Iraq, we would like to begin by highlighting the many positive developments in the country during our tenure in the Security Council. We welcome the Government's efforts to provide public services to its citizens, to tackle unemployment, poverty and corruption, and to implement economic reforms. It is important that these efforts continue and that Iraq continues on its path towards consolidating a democratic and prosperous future for all its people.
As our term comes to an end, we turn our attention to the next stage in the trajectory we have been able to accompany as a member of this Council. In the coming months, we believe it is essential that the reconfiguration of the United Nations presence, with the drawdown of UNAMI, is a collective success. With the Pact for the Future, we all reaffirmed the importance of framing and guiding peace operations through political strategies. This includes viable transition plans. We are encouraged by the information on transition coordination between the UN and the government.
Our engagement on this file has been guided by the following themes, which we believe are still relevant today:
Firstly, legitimate institutions are a fundamental element of any governance and of the stability of a country, whether at local, national or regional level. In this regard, Switzerland welcomes the holding of elections in the Iraqi region of Kurdistan in October. We welcome the technical assistance provided by UNAMI in the organisation of the elections, as well as the efforts made by the Independent High Electoral Commission to promote women candidates. These elections can also contribute to establish a regular and structured dialogue between Baghdad and Erbil on all outstanding issues.
Second, on the security and regional front, it is essential that Iraq continues to promote a dynamic of dialogue and cooperation in the region, as it has done in recent years. For example, we have on several occasions welcomed the Iraqi government's willingness to promote a regional approach to tackling the adverse effects of climate change and water scarcity. In addition, it remains important for Iraq to fully control the use of force throughout its territory. We also reiterate that Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected by all.
Thirdly, in every country in the world, as we see time and again in my own country, guaranteeing human rights and providing inclusive spaces for dialogue where minority voices are heard is an important investment in prevention. We therefore welcome the efforts of the Iraqi Government to find durable solutions for internally displaced persons. Special attention must be paid to the needs and rights of vulnerable groups, in particular children. We also remind the Iraqi authorities of the importance of ensuring that any amendments to the Personal Status Law are in line with the country's international human rights obligations.
Finally, progress must be made in the search for missing Kuwaiti and Iraqi citizens, third country nationals and stateless persons. This is also in view of the end of UNAMI's mandate.
Mister President,
I would like to conclude by wishing Iraq and its people all the best for the future. We have tried to accomppany Iraq on this path through our work on the UNAMI dossier. Having recently reopened our embassy in Baghdad, Switzerland also looks forward to strengthening its bilateral relations with Iraq in the coming years.
Thank you.