The Republic of Iraq
Positions for General Assembly Plenary
- Furthering Water and Sanitation as a Human Right
Fresh water is a rare and valuable commodity especially within arid regions of the world. As an arid and land locked country, the Republic of Iraq has battled a shortage of water and the sanitation of reused water for decades. The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers are the primary source of all water within the region. Within the past decade, a rise of desertification and lowering levels of the rivers have reduced the amount of water present in the country to less than one third previous amounts. Many states bordering water within the region have begun investing more heavily into desalination as a method of sustaining and growing access to usable water.
The Republic of Iraq does not have the same capability as its neighbors due to its landlocked position. However, working with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as UNICEF, Vision, WHO, UNDP, UN-HABITAT and Save the Children, Iraq has been able to provide sustainable means of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) for many within our borders who previously did not have this access. The Republic of Iraq has also worked with coalition partners to repair damaged infrastructure during the conflicts plaguing the country for the past two decades. In a study conducted by UNICEF, both rural and urban regions of Iraq have previously lacked the infrastructure leading to further problems with internally displaced people and migration. The study also examined a number of other issues related to WASH. First, poor sanitation of water within the country is leading to deaths attributed to waterborne illness. This is due to a lack of functioning water treatment locations, damage systems, lack of infrastructure, and poor handling of waste water. Further, leaders within Iraq have struggled to balance the supply of water over the multiple needs within the region such as irrigation, drinking, power, and restoring the marshlands. Finally, the supply of water and that of clean water is a growing limiting factor due to the total amount available within the region and that required for the growing population. Since the disruption to the area by the Islamic State, infrastructure put in place to provide sustainable means of WASH have been disrupted and even retrograded. Conflict has also caused an economic struggle limiting growth in WASH. Many of the challenges facing Iraq are similar to those of other Member States within the Middle East and Africa. Where citizens lack certain accessibility to certain human rights, anti-government organizations grow. Non-sustainable means of water and sanitation allow for the growth of terrorist organizations in these regions and will continue to aid the other causes of instability that allows for growth of these organizations.
It is important to the Republic of Iraq that water stability in conflict and post-conflict states is resolved to end this vicious cycle, thereby enabling economic growth and sustainability of these developing Member States. Increasing international programs and aid has proven useful in increasing water to a percentage of the populations but, has not allowed for developing Member States fighting water scarcity to become sustainable. With a more targeted program working to stabilize water a few Member States at a time, aiding the current efforts, a long-term improvement in water sustainability in certain Member States is possible.
- Confronting Radiological Challenges with Advanced Detection Solutions
Radiological security and advanced detection methods is of interest to Iraq. The capabilities of anti-government and terrorist organizations in the region are concerning as the have displayed interest in acquiring radiological capabilities. Implementing further precautionary methods in Iraq to specifically target “Dirty Bombs” would enable additional security infrastructure to detect improvised explosive devices. While currently involved in conflict and counterinsurgency operations, the Iraqi Police and Military, alongside coalition partners, search for improvised explosive devices and the creators of those devices. A Radiological Dissemination Device (RDD) is just one type of many attempted attacks.
Internationally, Iraq recognizes that it is a growing concern for Member States who have not internally mobilized security forces to deal with the security threat caused by the instability of other Member States. With the increase of technology and easier access to radioactive substances in both stable and conflict countries, the likelihood of success by one of these organizations is growing. For Iraq, the primary concern is the economic and environmental impacts of a successful RDD attack in an urban area. For many developing Member States, the funds required to decontaminate and repair damage to the environment simply do not. An international fund or program to aid countries unable handle the additional clean up associated could be beneficial. This is reactionary to a successful event. Proactively, detecting these devices requires increasing general detection methods for improvised explosive devices. These are both short fixes to the problem associated with radiological threats. Elimination and dismantling of organizations with the capacity for such attack is the end state solution. Successful targeting and disruption will lead to thwarted attempts and hindrance in the acquisition and execution of attacks involving radiological material. Acquisition of radiological materials is an international problem. The use of the products in unsecure locations is correlated with the development of the country. As seen during the conflict in Syria, materials required to create a Weapon of Mass Destruction (WMD) can be acquired when a government’s security force loses control over the location during the conflict. An advanced detection solution can be more than just the instruments used to locate radiological devices, but instead can be any proactive solution to stop an attack. The most effective solution utilized by Iraq is the intervention of group’s activities who possess a risk of launching a terrorist act within the borders.
The Republic of Iraq is interested particularly in offsetting the expenditure of these types of attacks to developing Member States. Many governments currently dealing with actors that pose or could pose a radiological security threat do not have the resources on hand to financially or physically combat a radiological threat. A unilateral effort to aid Member States should an attack occur, would be a preemptive solution to the added effects of a radiological weapon. This could be done through the creation of a fund or program meant to aid developing countries who experience a radiological attack in areas such as clean up, medical assistance, and rebuilding.