Q&A

What is the ICI?

The International Compact with Iraq (ICI) was launched in Sharm el-Sheikh on 3 May 2007 following two preparatory conferences in New York. Sweden was represented by a delegation that was led by Minister for Migration and Asylum Policy Tobias Billström and that also included the State Secretary for International Development Cooperation, Joakim Stymne.

The ICI is an international partnership with the aim of supporting the political and economic reform process in Iraq. This is necessary in order to create stability, improve the conditions for equitable and sustainable development and support the strengthening of democracy and respect for human rights in Iraq. The Compact entails a commitment on the part of Iraq to implement economic and political reforms with international support. The ICI is led by the government of Iraq and co-chaired by the UN.

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What role does the ICI play for the development of Iraq?

Like the EU and the international community in general, Sweden wants to see a safe, stable, democratic and united Iraq where human rights are respected. A stronger and broader international commitment to Iraq's future is necessary to the country's development and stabilisation process.

The ICI is the only international framework under Iraqi leadership for implementing national reforms and mobilising the political support of the international community for the country. The Compact is to run for five years and covers a wide range of issues - from political reconciliation, social and community development, security and respect for human rights to institution building, public services and administration. This is why it is important to move forward with the ICI process. The ICI process is also an opportunity for Iraq's neighbours to make a constructive contribution to Iraqs security and reconstruction.

In UN Security Council Resolution 1770, which was adopted unanimously by the Security Council in August 2007, the launching of the ICI was welcomed. The Resolution, which gave a strong mandate to the UN mission in Iraq, has - together with the somewhat improved security situation in parts of the country - created better conditions for the international community's engagement in Iraq.

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Who is extending invitations to the conference?



Invitations come from the UN and the Iraqi government.

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Where and when will the conference be taking place?



Sweden will host the first follow-up meeting of the ICI. The conference will be held in Stockholm on 29 May.

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Who can take part in the conference?

The conference is an intergovernmental conference at ministerial level. Invitations have been sent out to all 192 UN member countries and a number of international and regional organisations. Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki will chair the conference together with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

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Who is coming to Stockholm from Iraq?

The Iraqi delegation is expected to include several ministers and will be led by Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki.

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Why is the conference being arranged in Sweden?

Enquiries concerning Sweden's willingness to host the conference were received from Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The Government took the formal decision that Sweden would act as host on 10 April.

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What does it mean for Sweden to be host?

The fact that Sweden is hosting the conference is testimony to the importance the Government attaches to working with the international community to make a positive contribution to Iraq's future development and to supporting the UN in its key role in accordance with Security Council Resolution 1770 (August 2007). The conference will be an opportunity for Sweden and the EU to emphasise the importance of political progress in Iraq. At the same time, we can confirm our support for the political and economic reform process in Iraq. Close consensus between a strong political commitment and the development perspective are of the utmost importance in achieving progress. We attach particular importance to the conference's contribution to improving the conditions for sustainable and equitable social development towards democracy and respect for human rights. We also hope that the ICI will provide opportunities to more clearly involve Iraq's neighbours in achieving positive developments in Iraq.

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Is the ICI a donors' meeting?


No, the ICI is not a financing mechanism. It is a framework for reform processes in Iraq and for international support to the country's reconstruction. The financial support of the international community is, for example, channelled via the UN and the World Bank International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI).

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What do participants hope to achieve at the conference?

At the conference the UN and Iraq will present a joint progress report outlining the progress that has been made over the past year, since the start of the ICI. There will be a discussion about the developments that have occurred and the further steps that need to be taken to achieve the ICI's goals.

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Where can I find more information about the conference?

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What is Sweden doing to help Iraq?

Sweden assists Iraq in several different ways. Besides providing bilateral and multilateral support, Sweden is working to strengthen the UN's activities and role in Iraq. Sweden considers this to be of crucial importance to the development of Iraq. For example, Sweden is one of the largest donors to the protection force for UN personnel in Iraq. This helps improve opportunities for the UN to work in the country. Another example is the fact that Sweden is hosting the first annual follow-up conference within the framework of the ICI, which is taking place in Stockholm on 29 May at the request of Iraq and the UN.

Sweden also maintains active contact with the Iraqi government and with other countries in the region so as to encourage regional dialogue and confidence-building cooperation.

Moreover, Sweden has been one of the driving forces in the EU during 2007 and 2008 to create a more active and coherent EU commitment. This was one of the main reasons for the visit to Iraq in September 2007 by Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt and Minister for Migration and Asylum Policy Tobias Billström.

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What is Sweden doing to assist Iraqi refugees?

Aside from the fact that 20 000 Iraqi asylum seekers have received permanent residence permits in Sweden since 2003, and that more than 1 100 Iraqis have been added to the 'refugee quota', the arguably most important way to assist Iraqi refugees is to help improve the situation in Iraq. We are doing this with our development cooperation. In addition, Sweden provides humanitarian support. In order to assist internally displaced persons in Iraq, Sweden supports above all the UN and the ICRC, which is probably the organisation with the most extensive experience and largest presence in Iraq. In 2007, Sweden contributed SEK 37.5 million to initiatives in Iraq; so far in 2008 (as of 8 May), support has amounted to SEK 81 million. Sweden also provides support to the Iraqi refugees in Iraq's neighbouring countries, above all Syria and Jordan. In 2007, this support amounted to over SEK 40 million; so far in 2008 (as of 8 May), this support has amounted to SEK 4 million. These funds are also channelled via the UN and international organisations.

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Ministry for Foreign Affairs (email to the Ministry)
Published 13 May 2008
Last updated 16 May 2008