Country: Republic of IraqCommittee: UNSCTopic A: UN Sanctions- Armed, Nuclear and EconomicDelegate Name: Sarmad Ali

On Aug. 2, 1990, in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait, the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 661, imposing comprehensive multilateral international sanctions on Iraq and freezing all its foreign assets. Iraq was no longer free to import anything not expressly permitted by the United Nations, and companies were forbidden from doing business with Iraq, with very limited exceptions.

Iraq remained under the sanctions regimes for nearly 13 years from 1990-2003, which were put into affect after Gulf War. Under Chapter VII of the Charter, the Security Council can take enforcement measures to maintain or restore international peace and security. Such measures range from economic and/or other sanctions not involving the use of armed force to international military action. But these sanctions have unbearable costs to the target country. In 13-year sanction regime the Iraqi people have suffered greatly. Unemployment soared upto 50% and people sold their belongings to survive on as low as $2 month. The foreign aid was not enough to feed 22 million people to which Iraq was allowed to export oil under Oil-for-food program in 1996.

Iraq has the view that sanctions are not solution for all problems that Security Council intends to achieve by imposing it on target countries. Denis J. Halliday, the United Nations humanitarian coordinator in Iraq said in 1998: we are in the process of destroying an entire society. It is as simple and terrifying as that. Sanctions have their implications, which must be sorted out before putting it into affect. Generally, it is the atrocities of governments that compel others to sanction them but it is the general population that suffers mostly.

Through this platform Iraq wants the Security Council and member states to review the policies as to minimize the damage caused by sanctions. As government of Iraq believes that costs of sanctions is greater than the benefits of it. Iraq believes that global community would consider this matter with great attention, integrity and responsibility.

Sources: https://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/misc/57jqap.htm#a1