Brussels, 3 August 2023
The EU stands firmly behind Iraq’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, with full respect to its ethnic and religious diversity. The EU acknowledges the commitment of the Government of Iraq to protecting and improving the situation of persons belonging to vulnerable communities in the country, including the Yazidis.
The Yazidi community in Iraq continues to face significant challenges. These include various obstacles preventing displaced persons from returning to their homes, particularly in Sinjar/Shingal, limited access to basic social services, and security concerns, such as recent episodes of hate speech, which the EU strongly condemns.
The EU calls on the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government to proceed with the implementation of the Sinjar Agreement. This includes the appointment of a mayor for Sinjar, which will pave the way for the other provisions of the Agreement, including the re-establishment of core civil services in Sinjar. With the adoption of the Federal Budget the recruitment of 2500 local security personnel, as stipulated by the Agreement, can proceed without further delay. The EU encourages all parties to act in cooperation with the United Nations and the international community.
The EU welcomes the adoption of the Yazidi Female Survivors Law. To ensure the full implementation of the law, the EU calls for facilitating improved access to compensations provided for in the law and also welcomes the decree of Yazidi land ownership approved by the Government of Iraq in December 2022 looking forward to concrete steps to ensure its swift and full implementation.
Stressing the need for sustainable solutions, the EU encourages the Iraqi authorities to widen their support to the Yazidi community through specific initiatives and with a gender perspective. These should aim at the enjoyment of their civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights, ensuring access to basic services, the provision of refuge, search for the missing, mental health and psychosocial support, academic and economic opportunities. The EU calls for continued accountability to bring justice to victims and survivors, as well as to ensure local engagement with the communities, to create conditions for safe and dignified return to their homes and continued compensatory payments.
As long-term supporter of the rights and protection of the Yazidi community, the EU leads international efforts to promote accountability for the atrocities committed by Da’esh against them. In this vein, the EU remains the primary donor to the UN Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh (UNITAD). The EU acknowledges that many members of the Yazidi community who escaped from Da’esh found refuge in the EU through resettlement programs and recognize the importance of the Yazidi diaspora as a valuable part of EU society.
The EU will continue to support the Government of Iraq in strengthening democratic and inclusive governance, ensuring the full participation of all segments of Iraqi society, including women and youth, and its various ethnic and religious communities.
Source – EU Council