The UK is committed to the prevention and punishment of genocide as appropriate under the Genocide Convention, to which the UK is party. It is the long-standing policy of the British Government that any judgment as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent national or international court, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies. It should be decided after consideration of all the evidence available in the context of a credible judicial process. This policy does not inhibit the UK from taking robust action to address the egregious human rights abuses committed by Daesh.

We condemn in the strongest terms the atrocities committed by Daesh against all civilians, including Yazidis, Christians and other minorities, as well as Muslim populations in Syria and Iraq. We note the conviction in a German court on 30 November 2021 of a former Daesh fighter for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. We are following this case and its review closely. We will continue to use our position at the UN, including as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, to raise situations of concern and to support the deployment of all appropriate tools available to the UN in dealing with potential mass atrocities. Our focus is always on securing an end to violence and protecting civilians.

The human rights situation for Christians in Iraq continues to be a matter of concern. The UK regularly engages with the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government on the need to protect the rights of Christians and other religious minorities.

​The British Government is in regular dialogue with the Iraqi business community, and with Iraqi citizens living in the UK, about our common wish to deepen the UK-Iraq relationship and promote closer ties between British and Iraqi businesses. As part of this engagement, in December 2019, Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for the Middle East participated in the Iraq Britain Business Council Conference in Dubai to discuss opportunities in Iraq's energy, infrastructure, water and transport sectors.

Over the last three years, UK Export Finance (UKEF) has provided more than £1 billion in support for UK companies delivering critical infrastructure projects in Iraq, including power stations, and water and waste water treatment projects. There is significant interest in UKEF support for UK companies’ contracts in Iraq and the additional £1 billion in capacity will enable UK companies to participate in further priority projects that can promote nation-building efforts in Iraq. UKEF is working with the Government of Iraq to identify projects that can use its support with initial priorities including power, water and sanitation, and other infrastructure-related sectors.

We are committed to meeting humanitarian needs in areas of Syria and Iraq liberated from Daesh. In Northeast Syria we provided over £40 million in UK aid last year to meet urgent needs. DFID-funded partners are delivering critical activities including demining, child immunisation, nutritional supplements for children and pregnant women, and supporting primary health centres and mental health work.

In Iraq last year, the UK also committed over £40 million of humanitarian support, providing a vital lifeline to millions of vulnerable people. Since 2014, UK funding in Iraq has helped provide: food assistance to over 408,000 people; emergency cash transfers to over 274,000 people; shelter kits, upgrades to camps and household items to over 836,500 people; life-saving healthcare services to over 4.1 million people; and safe drinking water, toilet and shower facilities to more than 2 million people.

The UK remains concerned by continued issues related to religious freedom in Iraq but welcomes signs that Iraq's new leadership is actively promoting respect for religious minorities. For example, the Vatican Secretary of State made an official visit to Iraq in December, and the Iraqi Prime Minister's new Cabinet declared Christmas Day an official holiday for all Iraqis, not just Christians.

The UK is committed to promoting and protecting the right to freedom of religion or belief across Iraq. We regularly underline this to Iraqi political leaders, emphasising that this right is critical to building an inclusive, stable and tolerant country. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon reinforced this message with the new Iraqi Foreign Minister Al-Hakim in December 2018. As part of our efforts, we are also funding a project to pilot a new curriculum on freedom of religion or belief in secondary schools in Iraq.

DFID has regular discussions and meetings with officials from the Government of Iraq about future development plans for Iraq after the liberation of Mosul and how the international community can support Iraq in the longer term. In addition to the UK’s ongoing humanitarian and stabilisation assistance funding, DFID is providing a £300 million loan guarantee to support the World Bank’s programme in Iraq that is helping the Government of Iraq cope with the impact of low oil prices and the long term consequences of the conflict with Daesh.

The UK is at the forefront of efforts to support the Government of Iraq to meet the needs of those affected by the conflict with Daesh in Iraq. For example DFID funds the International Organisation for Migration to support emergency healthcare interventions, a field hospital outside Mosul, ambulance transportation, and Mobile Medical Teams to deliver lifesaving health services. As the largest contributor to the Iraq Humanitarian Pooled Fund, the UK supports several projects to meet the most urgent needs of displaced Iraqis including the provision of healthcare and medication.

The Government's Conflict, Security and Stability Fund (CSSF) was first established for the 2015/2016 Financial Year. In 2015/16 the UK spent £13,832,069 in Iraq through the CSSF. In the Financial Year 2016/17 we have, to date, spent £14,841,495 in Iraq through the CSSF.

Except in the Kurdish Region of Iraq (KRI), International Oil Companies (IOCs) operate in Iraq under Technical Service Contracts (TSCs) which are agreed and signed with the Ministry of Oil in Baghdad. In the KRI, IOCs operate under Production-Sharing Agreements (PSAs). The Department for International Trade, including through our Embassy in Baghdad, will provide advice and support to British companies seeking to work under these agreements when requested and as appropriate.

The official statistics on UK international development aid are published in the annual publication ‘Statistics on International Development’, available from the Gov.uk website. The available statistics on annual overseas development aid for Iraq is set out below. The official statistics for 2016 have not yet been published.

For the financial year 2015/16 the Department for International Development spent £40 million in Iraq, and for the financial year 2016/17 we have committed £95 million (£90 million in humanitarian assistance plus £5 million on stabilisation projects).

Total UK Bilateral ODA – Iraq

2010-2015 £ thousands

Source: Statistics for International Development, last updated 17 November 2016

Notes

• Figures are rounded
• The figures in this table are National Statistics

Up to 2011, the net additional costs of operations in Iraq were £343 million in 2009-10 and £95 million in 2010-11. From 2014, the UK has supported operations to counter Daesh in Iraq and Syria. The net additional costs of these operations, which we do not separate due to their inter-related nature, were £21.9 million in 2014-15 and £216.9 million in 2015-16. Information for 2016-17 will be reported in the Department's Annual Report and Accounts.

The UK has played a significant role in supporting the Iraqi operation which secured a notable victory over Daesh in Eastern Mosul. Since the operation began, over 450 targets in and around Mosul have been struck by the RAF.

RAF aircraft played a valuable role, using their surveillance sensors to identify civilians within the city who might be placed at particular risk and alerting the Iraqi ground forces and other Coalition aircraft to their presence. UK Service personnel have also contributed to the training of over 38,500 Iraqi forces (including more than 7,300 Peshmerga) in infantry, medical skills, C-IED measures and engineering skills, many of whom have participated in the Mosul operation.

DFID‘s work in Iraq is focused on supporting the Government of Iraq-led, UN-supported humanitarian and stabilisation response to the current crisis, and DFID funding is channelled through UN agencies and non-governmental organisations. DFID is not directly funding programmes supporting joint working between the UK and Iraqi public sectors.

The British Council is working with the Iraqi health, heritage and education sectors to foster collaboration with UK institutions. Through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) the UK is also working with the Government of Iraq to train and mentor the Iraqi Government Digital Service to support online communications in the campaign against Daesh.

The Department for International Trade (DIT) are actively building bilateral trade links between the UK and Iraq, supported by the work of the Iraq Britain Business Council and the PM Trade Envoy to Iraq Baroness Nicholson.

The Ambassador regularly raises trade issues with Prime Minister Abadi and in the last six weeks, along with DIT colleagues, has met with the President of Iraq and the Ministers of Electricity, Construction, Oil and Transport to support commercial opportunities for British companies. As a result, DIT has helped British companies win significant contracts in the air services, security and infrastructure sectors, with British companies competing for more business.

The full range of medium and long-term UK Export Finance (UKEF) facilities is available to support UK exports to Iraq. UKEF has received expressions of interest from a number of businesses across a range of sectors. In December, UKEF supported UK exporter Biwater to deliver water treatment solutions in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

I have not had any recent discussions with the Iraqi government regarding the amount the UK plans to provide through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF). However, Embassy officials regularly discuss our CSSF work with their counterparts in the Iraqi government.

In financial year 16/17 the Iraq CSSF programme plans to spend £25.25m on a range of projects designed to help stabilise areas liberated from Daesh and provide a safe environment for displaced people to return home; support political reform and reconciliation and; provide strategic communications support to the Government of Iraq campaign to defeat Daesh. These complement the British Government's existing and significant political, humanitarian and coalition Counter-Daesh efforts.

As a member of the global coalition against Daesh, the UK is supporting the Iraqi authorities and the United Nations as they develop stabilisation planning for Mosul and Nineweh governorate. The UK is already providing over £15 million to support UN stabilisation programmes. This is helping secure liberated areas, clear Daesh explosives and support the renovation of water facilities, power networks, clinics and schools. It is also helping the Governor of Ninevah’s office assess post-liberation needs and priorities, including where to pre-position kit for repairs to infrastructure.