Security Council announces special events on Iraq and youth this month

The Security-Council will on 15 December hold a high-level event on Iraq, which will be chaired by United States Vice President Joe Biden, and attended by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the US permanent representative to the United Nations announced today.

The event will be “an important opportunity for the international community to recognize the very real progress that Iraq has made both in terms of government formation, as well as the significant steps that have been taken to terminate its Chapter VII obligation,” Susan Rice the US Permanent Representative to the UN and the President of the Council for the month of December told reporters at UN Headquarters.

Iraqi leaders last month reached an agreement on the formation of a new Government after months of deadlock that followed the parliamentary elections in March.

Under the power-sharing deal for a new government, President Jalal Talabani was re-elected by the parliament, while Nouri al-Maliki retained his position as Prime Minister.

The Security Council imposed restrictions on Iraq under Chapter VII of the UN Charter in relation to its invasion and occupation of neighbouring Kuwait in 1990-91. Chapter VII gives the Council to the power to determine the existence of a threat to peace and to take military and non-military actions to “restore international peace and security”. Measures imposed on Iraq include paying war reparations to Kuwait.

Ms. Rice also announced that the Security Council will hold an unprecedented informal youth event in New York on 21 December that will bring together young people from across the world to express their views and concerns about international peace and security.

She said that video or written submissions to the Council can also be sent answering the following questions:

“What is the most vital challenge to international peace and security facing your generation?” and: “Tell the United Nations Security Council about something you believe deserves more attention and explain why it is important.”

The one-minute video or 250-word written submissions from young people under the age of 25 can be sent to the Security Council electronically before 14 December, Ms. Rice said.

A selection of the submissions on various themes will be played at the youth event and members of the Council will be asked to respond. Mr. Ban will attend the event, which will be open to the public and the media.