UN Security Council falling short on peace, stability: Sudani

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Iraqi prime minister lamented that the Security Council has failed to maintain peace and security while speaking at the UN General Assembly on Thursday. He added that the international community’s top priority should be stopping rising violence in the Middle East.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani touched upon Israel’s increased cross-border attacks in Lebanon, combatting terrorism, and strengthening Baghdad’s relations with the Kurdistan Region while briefing the challenges facing his cabinet.

“Today, we are witnessing unprecedented violations of international treaties and norms, and the sidelining of international institutions responsible for managing and organizing international relations and promoting peace and stability,” Sudani told the UN.

Hundreds of Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon this week have killed over 700 people and injured thousands, according to the Lebanese health ministry. Israel has called on the residents in areas of southern and eastern Lebanon to evacuate ahead of a wide-scale campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Sudani added that the absence of “responsibility leads to reliance on alternative measures, and the neglect of these institutions risks returning international relations to a state of chaos.”

Since the start of the conflict in Lebanon, Iraq has sent several batches of humanitarian assistance to the country. Sudani announced on Monday that his cabinet plans to establish air and land bridges to deliver aid to Lebanon.

The Iraqi premier added that the international community, including the UN Security Council, has failed to “achieve its primary goal of maintaining international peace and security” because it has not stopped the violence in Gaza almost a year after the conflict began.

Sudani also warned against the start of large-scale war across the region.

“The recent actions of the occupying power aim to threaten the stability of countries in the region by igniting a large-scale regional war,” Sudani said, calling on the UN to step up efforts to end Israel’s violence.

“We express our disappointment in the Security Council and the international system for failing to fulfil their duties,” he added.

Post-ISIS Iraq

Continuing his address, Sudani detailed the reconstruction and development of Iraq, a decade after the Islamic State (ISIS) captured swathes of Iraqi territory.

“Iraq is undergoing significant developments, and ten years after ISIS occupied a third of its territory, Iraq is now implementing a comprehensive reconstruction and development plan, reviving life in its cities,” Sudani said.

Since the military defeat of ISIS was declared by the Iraqi government in December 2017, remnants of the extremists have posed problems in places between Kurdish and Iraqi forces with security vacuums.

Sudani said Iraq has made “significant progress” in the areas of security.

“We have made significant progress in security, defeated terrorism, and will soon mark this victory with a joint declaration alongside our allies and friends who supported Iraq in the fight against ISIS,” he said, referring to an agreement for the US-led international anti-ISIS coalition to withdraw and transition into a “bilateral security partnership.”

In August, the Iraqi foreign ministry announced they had reached an agreement with Washington on a withdrawal, but that the announcement has been delayed.

The previous day, the US State Department had denied that a withdrawal was discussed. 
“At no point did we discuss the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq, but we continued to discuss a - the transition to a - what we would say a bilateral security partnership,” deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said in a press conference.

In January, Sudani presided over the first meeting of the US-Iraq Higher Military Commission (HMC) to discuss the future of the coalition’s mission in Iraq.

The HMC has held several meetings in Baghdad to “discuss the threat of ISIS, the operational environment, and the capabilities of the Iraqi Security Forces.” 

Retaliatory strikes on pro-Iran Iraqi paramilitary groups have angered the Iraqi government. 

Baghdad has maintained that the HMC aims to end the coalition forces' presence in the country, while Washington has described the step as a “transition” in the coalition’s role.

Erbil-Baghdad ties, elections

Baghdad is continuing efforts to strengthen democratic processes and national unity, Sudani said.

“We have organized provincial council elections, which had been delayed for 10 years. And we are preparing to hold elections in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, with the Kirkuk [provincial] elections being delayed since 2005,” Sudani said.

The Iraqi prime minister also mentioned Erbil-Baghdad relations, noting that his cabinet continues “to strengthen” the relationship with Erbil and other provinces.

“Our efforts continue to strengthen the relationship between the Federal Government, the Kurdistan Regional Government, and local governments in the provinces, protecting the existence of minorities and ensuring their needs are met,” he said.

Erbil and Baghdad have had disputes over the Region’s financial entitlements, budget share, and the resumption of Kurdish oil exports.

The Kurdistan Region’s oil exports through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline have been halted since March 2023, when a Paris-based arbitration court ruled in favor of Baghdad, saying that Ankara had breached a 1973 pipeline agreement by allowing Erbil to begin independent oil exports in 2014. 

Before the halt, Erbil exported around 400,000 barrels per day through the pipeline - in addition to some of the 75,000 barrels of oil from Kirkuk. 

When the Kurdistan Regional Government began its independent oil sector, the KRG signed production-sharing contracts with international oil companies. Under this model, the oil companies cover the entire cost of production, while the KRG receives the lion’s share of the profits from successful projects.

Baghdad has repeatedly said that these contracts violate the constitution and must be amended to match the service contracts that the federal government prefers before exports can resume.

Before travelling to New York, Sudani told Bloomberg TV that “there are ongoing talks with the companies and with brothers in the Kurdistan Region. And we hope to reach a solution based on the legal paths.” 

Combatting corruption

During the UNGA speech, Sudani identified combatting corruption as one of the top priorities of his cabinet.

“Improving governance, combating corruption, achieving digital transformation, and implementing e-government are among our top priorities, as they are crucial strategies for reducing corruption and ensuring good governance,” Sudani said.

Over the past two weeks, the work of Iraq’s anti-corruption body, called the Integrity Commission, has resulted in the charges, arrests, and sentences of many local officials across the country’s provinces.

The so-called “Heist of the Century” that saw $2.5 billion of tax funds stolen has captivated Iraqis’ attention. At the UNGA, Sudani asked for the international community to support efforts to restore the stolen funds.

“We call on the international community to support our efforts in recovering Iraq's stolen funds and in overcoming legal and legislative obstacles imposed by some countries, such as banking secrecy and restrictions on disclosing beneficial owners,” he said.

Rampant corruption plagues all levels of the Iraqi state. Official figures published in 2022 estimated that well over $400 billion have gone missing from state coffers since former dictator Saddam Hussein’s regime was toppled in 2003.

Iraq is ranked 154th out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s corruption perception index for 2023, improving three spots from the previous year.

Climate change

Iraq has been continuously reeling from the effects of climate change and water scarcity. The country is the fifth-most vulnerable nation in the world to the effects of climate change, including water and food insecurity, according to the UN.

“Iraq faces severe environmental challenges, including climate change and desertification, which cannot be addressed without enhanced international cooperation,” Sudani said.

Water levels in the Euphrates and Tigris rivers - shared by Iraq, Syria, and Turkey - have dropped considerably in recent years. 

“Desertification leads to the displacement of millions in search of stability, exacerbating social and political crises,” Sudani added. “We call for global solidarity to tackle environmental challenges and increase awareness of the importance of sustainable water resource management, adhering to the principle of shared and equitable responsibility among nations.”

A report by Iraq’s Ministry of Water Resources in 2022 predicted that unless urgent action is taken to combat declining water levels, Iraq’s two main rivers will be entirely dry by 2040.

The UN Environment Program (UNEP) has long warned that water availability in Iraq is set to decrease by around 20 percent before 2025, threatening the long-term stability of the country’s agriculture and industry.