10.3 |
Reconstruction: oil, commercial interests, debt relief, asylum and
stabilisation policy
893.
No flights to
central or southern Bagdad were made during the period covered
by
this
Inquiry.
894.
A
cross-government review of the UK’s approach to post-conflict
reconstruction
began in
September 2003.566
895.
The
inter-departmental Post-Conflict Reconstruction Unit (PCRU) was
established
in
September 2004.567
It became
operational during 2005.568
896.
In December
2007, the PCRU was renamed the Stabilisation Unit
(SU).569
897.
The PCRU and
the SU focused their activity on Afghanistan. They made
limited
but
valuable contributions in Iraq.
898.
Since 2007,
the SU has continued to evolve in response to the strategic
and
policy
framework established by:
•
the 2008
and 2010 National Security Strategies (NSSs);
•
the 2010
Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR); and
•
the 2011
Building Stability Overseas Strategy (BSOS).
899.
On 16
September 2003, Mr Straw, Mr Hoon and Baroness Amos
discussed post-
conflict
planning and preparation. A number of papers, including a joint
FCO/DFID/MOD
paper on
post-conflict reconstruction, had been prepared
beforehand.570
900.
Mr Straw
highlighted the contrast between the UK’s preparation for
domestic
crises and
post-conflict situations. More needed to be done to “get ahead of
the curve”.
901.
Mr Hoon
highlighted the absence of any civilian equivalent to military
planning.
The UK
should aim for international agreement on the civilian resources
and skills
needed and
where they were available.
902.
Baroness Amos
emphasised the need first to “link up” across government and
to
learn
lessons from previous interventions.
566
Paper
[unattributed], 17 September 2003, ‘Meeting of Secretaries of State
for Foreign Affairs, Defence
and
International Development – 16 September 2003 at
2.15pm’.
567
Minute
[DFID junior official] to Drummond, 29 June 2005, ‘PCRU Update
Meeting with the PUSS,
21 June’.
568
House of
Commons, Official
Report, 21 July
2005, column 155WS.
569
Paper
Stabilisation Unit, December 2007, ‘Stabilisation
Unit’.
570
Paper
[unattributed], 17 September 2003, ‘Meeting of Secretaries of State
for Foreign Affairs, Defence
and
International Development – 16 September 2003 at
2.15pm’.
507