I welcome Mr. Ritscher to this meeting and thank him for a detailed overview on the on-going investigations of crimes committed by ISIL in Iraq. It is positive to hear that during the recent reporting period the investigative team has re-established full field-based operational capacity.
Earlier this week, during an Arria-formula meeting on accountability in Syria, we heard about the challenges on collecting evidence on the war-crimes committed in Syria. I believe that the excellent work of UNITAD can be set up as an example for showing how we can end impunity and help to bring justice to the victims through a holistic approach.
I stress the importance of the continued work of UNITAD through the respective special units on the issues of sexual and gender-based crimes and crimes against children; focus on witness protection, as well as psychological support for witnesses and survivors.
Estonia fully supports UNITAD in its efforts to strengthen the capacity of Iraqi authorities, and commends the significant progress made in terms of using new resources and technical innovations. In particular, I would like to highlight the evidence-digitization project, which witnessed over 2 million pages of documents archived and digitized within the reporting period.
Close coordination with the Iraqi authorities must remain a priority for UNITAD. This cooperation helps to facilitate the arrest of individuals believed to be active ISIL members, thus leading to a safer Iraq. It is a notable step, which I believe paves a way for even stronger joint activities in the future.
I look forward to the launch of the “Interfaith Dialogue Series” in January 2022. These kinds of initiatives of UNITAD, undertaken together with the Office of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, will provide a more in-depth engagement with the local faith communities.
Estonia continues to value UNITAD’s work, as it meaningfully contributes to achieving accountability in Iraq with full respect for the principles and best practices of the United Nations.
I thank you.