Diplomatic Activity in the Age of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic

The Directorate-General for Rendering Services to Diplomatic Missions (GDIP) has published in its quarterly publication of the “Diplomacy without Borders” (issue №3 (13)/2020) the article of H.E. Mr. Bakir Ahmed Al-Jaff, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Iraq to Ukraine. The article “Diplomatic Activity in the Age of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic” is as follows.

          In compliance with the instructions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iraq and according to the medical guidelines provided by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine to prevent the spread of the virus and combat the COVID-19 pandemic, the Embassy of the Republic of Iraq in Ukraine called upon the Iraqi nationals residing in Ukraine and studying at the Ukrainian higher educational institutions to follow the quarantine procedures, which contributed to protecting the members of the Iraqi Community in Ukraine and Embassy Staff and their families from catching this dangerous virus, praise to Allah.

          The Embassy also took necessary measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, among which was the reduction of official working hours and decreasing the physical presence of the staff by 50%. The Consular Section of the Embassy of the Republic of Iraq in Ukraine carried out its activities via telephone calls and emails professionally and proficiently. The Consular Section’s employees managed to ensure a direct day-and-night interaction with Iraqi and Ukrainian citizens in view of settling their issues as well as registering the stranded Iraqis seeking to return to the Homeland. Thus, on 07 May 2020, 186 Iraqi citizens left Ukraine and headed to the Republic of Iraq by the exceptional flight on board of the ‘Iraqi Airways’ aircraft.

          The abovementioned flight was arranged through our personal continuous and close coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iraq, Council of Representatives of the Republic of Iraq, Kurdistan Regional Government – Iraq, ‘Iraqi Airways’ as well as via active cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Verkhovna Rada’s Committee on Foreign Policy and Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation, Deputy Group of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Inter-parliamentary relations with the Republic of Iraq, along with competent Ukrainian authorities in the field of civil aviation and border crossing points. The procedures prescribed obtaining an official permit for the ‘Iraqi Airways’ aircraft to conduct the exceptional flight along with taking all necessary measures to ensure the plane’s landing and taking off. Thus, we avail ourselves of this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to all mentioned Ukrainian authorities.

          I headed the Embassy’s delegation arriving at the Boryspil International Airport to complete the travel procedures of the departing Iraqis and resolve any difficulty they might encounter, which was met with a great satisfaction from the members of the Iraqi Community in Ukraine, who highly appreciated the efforts made by the competent Iraqi and Ukrainian authorities and all those who contributed to facilitating the successful completion of this exceptional flight – particularly in view of the suspension of the civil aviation flights between Iraq and Ukraine due to the quarantine regime and spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

          For our part, we would like to express our gratitude to the Government of Ukraine for its immediate interaction with the world’s tendencies aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 as well as for taking the essential measures to protect Ukrainian citizens and foreigners staying in Ukraine from the risk of being infected by the coronavirus.

          Besides, the Embassy would like to draw attention to the following:

–        There is a strong and urgent need to ensure immediate feedback with the foreign diplomatic missions accredited in Ukraine regarding the issues of return of the foreign citizens to their countries (the delays might cause complaints).

–        It is necessary to specify a certain hospital located in Kyiv and authorized to follow up the health status of the Foreign Diplomatic Corps and members of their families in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic.

In conclusion, we would like to avail ourselves of this opportunity to express our best wishes to the Friendly People of Ukraine who are following the quarantine restrictions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, asking Almighty Allah to protect Iraq, Ukraine and other states from this calamity and bestow security, peace and tranquility upon the whole world.