10.2 |
Reconstruction: July 2004 to July 2009
771.
In a briefing
paper for the meeting, DFID reported that the number of
people
displaced
since the Samarra bombing had risen to 650,000.449
UNHCR
estimated that
the total
number of IDPs in Iraq could rise to 2.3m by the end of 2007. The
number of
Iraqi
refugees in the region had risen from 1.8m to over 2m.
772.
The trend was
of “increasing polarisation” along sectarian and
geographical
lines,
which would have a considerable impact on the political landscape
and made
a national response
more complex. In contrast to previous displacements, the
moves
were
permanent.
773.
In Iraq,
security had compromised delivery mechanisms, and weak Iraqi
public
services
had not been able to keep up with demand. The Iraqi Government had
failed
to
recognise that this was a strategic issue with long-term political
consequences. There
was an
increasing risk that militias were being seen by Iraqi communities
as guarantors
of local
security. The UK’s objective remained to build Iraqi capacity to
provide security
and basic
services; however:
“It will
take years for Iraq to undertake the necessary reforms and develop
the
systems for
effective service delivery. There is therefore a humanitarian
imperative
for the
international community to assist in the short term.”
774.
DFID stated
that it would contribute a further £5m to humanitarian relief
operations
in Iraq and
the region (bringing DFID’s total contribution to the crisis for
2007 to £9m).
775.
Other major
contributions were:
•
Japan had
pledged US$104m;
•
the EC had
pledged €20m; and
•
the US had
pledged US$23m.
776.
Introducing
the DFID paper at the DOP(I) meeting, Mr Benn said that
Prime
Minister
Maliki remained more focused on security and his own political
concerns,
but the
UK continued to push the Iraqi Government to allocate adequate
resources
777.
The DOP(I)
meeting concluded that the UK should lobby the Iraqi
Government,
UN, ICRC
and the IOM to step up their actions to address the
crisis.
778.
DFID made
further contributions to the international humanitarian response
later
in March
and in November, bringing the UK’s total contribution for 2007 to
£15m.451
779.
On 18 April, a
No.10 official advised Mr Blair that the UN assessed that the
refugee
and IDP
situation was becoming more acute.452
The Iraqi
Government had pledged
449
Paper DFID,
7 March 2007, ‘The Humanitarian Situation in Iraq’.
450
Minutes, 8
March 2007, DOP(I) meeting.
451
Paper DFID,
4 November 2009, ‘Iraq – DFID Timeline and Financial Commitments:
2003 – 2009’.
452
Minute
Phillipson to Prime Minister, 18 April 2007, ‘VTC with President
Bush – 1800 18 April’.
321