Secretary-General Expresses Concern about Potentially Destabilizing Effects of Referendum in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region

SG/SM/18724

25 September 2017

The following statement was issued by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The Secretary-General is concerned about the potentially destabilizing effects of today’s referendum in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

The Secretary-General respects the sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity of Iraq and considers that all outstanding issues between the federal Government and the Kurdistan Regional Government should be resolved through structured dialogue and constructive compromise.

The Secretary-General expects that United Nations-mandated activities across Iraq, including in the Kurdistan region, will be allowed to continue unhindered. He calls upon the relevant authorities for their continued support.

Iraq

Daily Noon Briefing

22 April 2024

A report by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) states that explosive weapons were responsible for nearly half of the more than 47,500 children killed or maimed in more than 24 different conflict zones between 2018 and 2022. The vast majority of these instances occurred in populated areas.