Permanent Representative Delivers Iraq’s Statement at the Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions

The Permanent Representative of Republic of Iraq to the United Nations Office in Geneva, Ambassador Hussein Mahmoud AlKhateeb, delivered the statement of Iraq during the discussions on clearance and destruction of cluster munitions remnants and risk reduction, on 2nd September 2019. Ambassador Hussein emphasized that the widespread use of cluster munitions in Iraq led to a large number of casualties and hampered efforts to make good use of agricultural land and the establishment of development and investment projects in several areas, and reviewed the challenges in clearance operations, mainly the lack of experienced staff working in the field of cluster munitions clearance and the expansion of contaminated areas, in addition to the absence of precise maps on areas contaminated by cluster munitions.

Ambassador stressed the need for continued support to Iraq from the international community, since it had paid dearly in fighting and defeating terrorism, which threatened the world and to this day, Iraq suffers the repercussions of the crimes committed by terrorist gangs.