EDITORIAL Issue 136 – November 20, 2008

A guide to the U.S. security agreement with

What is the agreement?

The Status of Forces Agreement, commonly known as SOFA, is the legal documentation needed for American troops to remain in Iraq past Dec. 31 of this year, the date the United Nations

GHT mandate governing their presence expires. SOFA deals strictly I with the security aspects of the U.S. presence. A separate L agreement known as the Strategic Framework covers economic, cultural, technical and other issues. It is part of the package of H legislation before the Iraqi parliament that includes SOFA.

G

I How was the deal reached?

The process began more than a year ago when leaders of both H countries declared their commitment to drafting the framework

Y for a long-term relationship. Formal talks were launched in

L March. At the end of May, the talks reached what both sides have described as a dead end over contentious issues. K Negotiators began fresh discussions that lasted through the

E summer and led to a SOFA draft in October. Iraq's Cabinet

E demanded about 100 changes to the draft, some small and some large. After more negotiations, a final deal was reached this month. Prime Minister Nouri Maliki and his Cabinet gave their

W approval over the weekend and passed it on to the parliament. I What were the sticking points?

The major ones involved timing for the withdrawal of American forces, and the question of whether American troops could be prosecuted by Iraqi courts for alleged crimes committed against NCC Iraqis. Other areas of disagreement involved the future of Iraqi detainees held by U.S. forces in Iraq, and the question of whether Iraq has the right to inspect weapons and other packages arriving in the country for American troops.

How were the main issues resolved?

U.S. officials made a major concession on the timing question. They originally rejected a firm withdrawal date and suggested a vague "time horizon" for the U.S. pullout, based on conditions on the ground. They also spoke of extending the U.S. presence until 2015. The final plan calls for U.S. combat troops to pull out of Iraqi cities, towns and villages by next July, and for all U.S. troops to be gone from the country by Dec. 31, 2011. The dates are not "conditions-based." Iraq gave way on jurisdiction, dropping its demand for the right to try American troops for alleged crimes committed against Iraqis. Instead, a joint U.S.-Iraqi committee will examine individual cases involving Americans accused of committing such crimes while off base, and decide who has jurisdiction. The Americans agreed to relinquish control to Iraqi authorities of about 16,000 Iraqis held in U.S. custody in the country; and Iraq won the right to inspect incoming packages.

Who opposes the pact and why?

The leading critics are Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada Sadr; the main Sunni Arab political bloc in parliament; and Iran and . Sadr has long demanded the ouster of American forces and says they should leave when the U.N. mandate expires next month. Iran and Syria, which Washington accuses of fomenting violence inside Iraq, also want U.S. forces to leave as soon as possible. Sunni leaders have said the pact is too important a matter not to be voted on in a public referendum.

Could opponents derail the plan?

It's doubtful they could stop it in parliament, because neither the Sadr bloc nor the Sunnis have enough seats to vote it down. However, the Sadrists made it clear Monday that they would attempt to stall debate by demanding legislation that could require a two-thirds majority vote, rather than a simple majority, to approve the pact. The Sunnis could derail the pact if Vice President Tariq Hashimi, a Sunni who sits on the nation's three-member Presidency Council, opted to use his veto powers to prevent it from being signed into law once passed by parliament. That would force U.S. and Iraqi officials to scramble for an alternative plan.

Does the pact affect non-U.S. troops in the country?

No. There are only a few thousand non-American troops here now, and most plan to leave by the end of the year. The biggest non-U.S. force is Britain's, which numbers about 4,000 and is negotiating its own pact with Iraq.

NCCI Weekly Highlight 2 Issue 136- 20/11/2008

What happens now?

Parliament had its first "reading" of the pact Monday, when it received the package but did not discuss it. Debate begins this week, with a vote anticipated by Nov. 25.

What if it fails?

If it fails, U.S. forces will have to halt operations in Iraq at 12:01 a.m. on Jan. 1, unless the U.N. mandate could be extended beforehand.

Tina Susman ‘A guide to the U.S. security agreement with Iraq’ Los Angeles Times ------Sallaam, NCCI Team1

1 If a link in the NCCI newsletter is not working anymore, it may be because the article has been removed from the open access website. Generally, you can access these articles by clicking here.

NCCI Weekly Highlight 3 Issue 136- 20/11/2008

Announcement

Dear Weekly Highlight reader,

NCCI is consistently aiming to improve the work it carries out and the services it provides.

To this end, NCCI has drafted a questionnaire on the Weekly Highlight to assess its strengths and weaknesses, as well as to get a broader picture of our readers and the information they require from this publication.

We would therefore be very grateful if you could fill in the form attached (or available here) and return it to [email protected] by the 30th November 2008.

Thank you in advance,

NCCI Team

NCCI Weekly Highlight 4 Issue 136- 20/11/2008

Contents Page

Iraq Context

International – pg. 6 National – pg. 7 Violence and Security – pg. 8

Iraq Humanitarian Environment and Space

IDPs and Refugees – pg. 9 Human Rights – pg. 10 Gender and Cross-Cutting Issues – pg. 10 Food Security and Livelihoods – pg. 10 Water and Healthcare – pg. 11 Education – pg. 11 Mines – pg. 11 Humanitarian Space – pg. 12 Finance and Funding – pg. 12 Coordination – pg. 13

Reference Documents – pg. 14

Schedule Updates – pg. 16

Upcoming Important Dates – pg. 16

Updates and Announcements – pg. 16

NCCI Weekly Highlight 5 Issue 136- 20/11/2008

______Iraq Context

JInternationalJ

Iraq cabinet backs US troops deal to remain in the country until the end of Source: BBC 2011. Document: Article Date: November 16, 2008 Iraq, Syria pledge to increase Access: Open border security cooperation The Iraqi cabinet has approved a security Source : CP pact with the US governing the future Document: Article presence of 150,000 US troops in the Date: November 13, 2008 country, officials have said. Under the Access: Open deal, US troops will withdraw from the Iraq says it will increase border security streets of Iraqi towns next year, leaving cooperation with Syria as the two countries seek to overcome tension Iraq by the end of 2011. The decision will caused by a recent U.S. commando raid need to go before Iraq's parliament for a inside Syrian territory launched from Iraq. final vote. Visiting Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari says after a meeting with Syrian Sistani repeats pact concerns President Bashar Assad that the two sides Source : GT have tried to “overcome” the crisis that Document: Article followed last month’s attack. U.S. officials Date: November 19 , 2008 say the raid targeted a top al-Qaida in Access: Open Iraq figure. Iraq's top Shiite cleric said on Tuesday that the US-Iraqi security pact would only be viable if the country's main political groups Turkey and Iraqi Kurds: Conflict or backed it and it restored the country's full Cooperation? sovereignty. The comment by Grand Source: ICG Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani came as the 275- Document: Article seat parliament prepared for a Nov.24 Date: November 13, 2008 Access: Open vote on the pact, which would allow US At a time when rising Arab-Kurdish tensions troops to stay in Iraq for three more years. again threaten Iraq’s stability,

neighbouring Turkey has begun to cast a Hardline Iraqi cleric bids to kill US large shadow over Iraqi Kurdistan. It has pact in parliament been a study in contrasts: Turkish jets Source: Yahoo (AFP) periodically bomb suspected hideouts of Document: Article the banned Kurdistan Workers Party Date: November 17, 2008 (Partiya Karkerên Kurdistan, PKK) in Access: Open northern Iraq, and Ankara expresses alarm Followers of anti-American Shiite cleric at the prospect of Kurdish independence, Moqtada al-Sadr were making a bid on yet at the same time has significantly Monday to kill a controversial Iraq-US deepened its ties to the Iraqi Kurdish military pact passed by the Iraqi cabinet region. by trying to block it in parliament. The Sadrist movement has vigorously opposed the wide-ranging agreement, which would replace a UN mandate that expires at the end of the year and allow US forces

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JNationalJ

Premier of Iraq Is Quietly Firing Fraud Monitors A New Twist in Iraq's Shi'ite Power Source: NYT Struggle Document: Article Source: Time Date: November 17, 2008 Document: Article Access: Open Date: November 16, 2008 The government of Prime Minister Nuri Access: Open Kamal al-Maliki is systematically dismissing Eighteen months after the U.S. troop Iraqi oversight officials, who were installed surge aimed at creating the security to fight corruption in Iraqi ministries by necessary for Iraqis to resolve their political order of the American occupation conflicts, those political conflicts are administration, which had hoped to bring threatening to become even more Western standards of accountability to the complicated. Besides the Arab-Kurd and notoriously opaque and graft-ridden Sunni-Shi'ite divides, there has long been a bureaucracy here. struggle among rival political parties for supremacy among the Shi'ites. U.N. chief raises concerns about ﺗﻮﺗﺮات ﺳﻴﺎﺳﻴﺔ وأﻣﻨﻴﺔ ﺗﻌﻴﺸﻬﺎ اﻟﺮﻣﺎدي Iranians in Iraq Source: Reuters Political fight threatens Anbar Document: Article peace Date: November 17, 2008 Source: Niqash Access: Open Document: Article U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has Date: November 19, 2008 raised concerns about nearly 3,500 Access: Open ﻣﻊ اﻗﺘﺮاب ﻣﻮﻋﺪ اﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﺎت ﻣﺠﺎﻟﺲ اﻟﻤﺤﺎﻓﻈﺎت، ﺑﺪأ opposition Iranians living in exile in Iraq اﻟﺼﺮاع ﻳﺤﺘﺪم ﺑﻴﻦ "ﻣﺠﺎﻟﺲ اﻟﺼﺤﻮات" اﻟﻌﺸﺎﺋﺮﻳﺔ ﻓﻲ and regarded as terrorists by the Baghdad government, which wants to expel them. ﻣﺤﺎﻓﻈﺔ اﻷﻧﺒﺎر وﺑﻴﻦ "اﻟﺤﺰب اﻹﺳﻼﻣﻲ" اﻟﻤﻬﻴﻤﻦ ﻋﻠﻰ The Iranians, who include members of the ﻣﺠﻠﺲ اﻟﻤﺤﺎﻓﻈﺔ. واﻧﺘﻘﻠﺖ ﻋﺪوى اﻟﺨﻼﻓﺎت إﻟﻰ داﺧﻞ exiled opposition People's ﻓﺮﻳﻖ "ﻣﺠﺎﻟﺲ اﻟﺼﺤﻮات" ﻧﻔﺴﻪ، ﻟﻴﻐﺪو اﻟﺘﻮﺗﺮ اﻟﺴﻴﺎﺳﻲ Organization of Iran, have been housed at اﻟﺬي ﺗﻌﻴﺸﻪ ﻣﺪﻳﻨﺔ اﻟﺮﻣﺎدي (ﻣﺮآﺰ اﻟﻤﺤﺎﻓﻈﺔ) ﺑﺎﻋﺜﺎ Camp Ashraf, 70 km (40 miles) north of ﺟﺪﻳﺪا ﻋﻠﻰ ﻗﻠﻖ اﻷهﺎﻟﻲ إﻟﻰ ﺟﺎﻧﺐ ﻗﻠﻘﻬﻢ ﻣﻦ ﻋﻮدة .Baghdad, for two decades أﻋﻤﺎل اﻟﻌﻨﻒ إﻟﻰ ﻣﺪن وﺿﻮاﺣﻲ اﻷﻧﺒﺎر 'Sons of Iraq' move hailed a success As provincial council elections draw near, Source: BBC political conflict in Anbar province is Document: Article raising fears of a return of violence to the Date: November 18, 2008 former al-Qaeda stronghold. The long- Access: Open standing conflict between tribal Thousands of members of local militias set Awakening forces and the Islamic Party, up by the Americans to provide which currently holds power in the neighbourhood security and fight against provincial government, is escalating. al-Qaeda's Iraq franchise are now being Meanwhile, tribal forces are themselves paid by the Iraqi government - a key test witnessing division as some of them ally of what is a cornerstone in US efforts to with the Islamic Party. restore stability. The US military is highlighting the transition of what it calls the Sons of Iraq programme, saying it is proof the Iraqi authorities are "keeping their word".

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JViolence and Security IssuesJ

US military to abandon Iraqi cities they rarely harm the person who lays Source: (Yahoo) AP them. Document: Article Date: November 12, 2008 Iraq's al-Sadr renews threats to attack Access: Open The U.S. military in Iraq is abandoning — US Source: SBNP (AP) deliberately and with little public notice — Document: Article a centerpiece of the widely acclaimed Date: November 14, 2008 strategy it adopted nearly two years ago Access: Open to turn the tide against the insurgency. It is Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr on Friday moving American troops farther from the renewed threats to resume attacks on U.S. people they are trying to protect. forces, and the country's top Shiite cleric was quoted as saying he would intervene Lethal car bomb rocks Iraqi town if a proposed U.S.-Iraqi security pact Source: BBC infringed on Iraqi sovereignty.The Document: Article statements deepened unease over the Date: November 15, 2008 deal, which would allow American troops Access: Open to stay in Iraq for three more years after A car bomb has killed 10 people and their U.N. mandate expires Dec. 31. Iraqi injured at least 20 outside a car dealership officials say they will seek a renewal of the in the northern Iraqi town of Tal Afar. The mandate if the pact is not signed by then. US military say it appears to have been a suicide attack but Iraqi police say a Mask Ban Upsets Iraqis Hired as U.S. parked vehicle exploded. In the Iraqi capital Baghdad, a bomb went off near Interpreters the National Theatre, killing at least three Source: WP people. Document: Article Date: November 17, 2008

Access: Open Militants Turn to Small Bombs in Iraq The U.S. military has barred Iraqi Attacks interpreters working with American troops Source: NYT in Baghdad from wearing ski masks to Document: Article disguise themselves, prompting some to Date: November 13, 2008 resign and others to bare their faces even Access: Open though they fear it could get them killed. They are usually no bigger than a man’s Many interpreters employed by the U.S. fist and attached to a magnet or a strip of government and Western companies in gummy adhesive — thus the name Iraq do everything they can to avoid “obwah lasica” in Arabic, or “sticky being recognized on the job because bomb.” Light, portable and easy to lay, extremists have tortured and killed Iraqis sticky bombs are tucked quickly under the accused of collaborating with the enemy. bumper of a car or into a chink in a blast wall. Since they are detonated remotely,

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______-----__ Iraq Humanitarian Environment and Space

JIDPs and RefugeesJ

IDP Coordination Meeting - Erbil outcome from the negotiations,” a WFP Source: UNAMI source told IRIN, requesting anonymity due Document: Article to the sensitivity of the ongoing Date: November 13, 2008 negotiations. Access: Open Minutes of the IDP coordination meeting Refugees want to return home to held in Erbil. Iraq, but not yet Source: ReliefWeb (AFP) Financial crisis may deepen Document: Article refugee problems-U.N. Date: November 17, 2008 Source: Reuters Access: Open Document: Article Levels of violence in their home country Date: November 14, 2008 may be falling steadily, but for hundreds of Access: Open thousands of Iraqi refugees living in The financial crisis threatens to unleash neighbouring countries it is still too early to fresh movements of refugees and may risk returning. For the risks are indeed great. make countries less willing to host them, They fear a further outbreak of the vicious worsening an already potent cocktail of sectarian violence that swept the country conflict and climate change, a top U.N. in the wake of the March 2003 US-led refugee official said. Erika Feller, assistant invasion that toppled Sunni dictator high commissioner for protection at U.N. . refugee agency UNHCR, urged governments to overhaul their rules to No Man's Land: Iraqi-Palestinians in cope with changing patterns of refugee Al Tanf Camp flows and integrate them with other Source: RI systems regulating migration. Document: Article Date: November 17, 2008 Rice import snag leaves some Iraqi Access: Open refugees short Al Tanf camp for Palestinian refugees from Source: IRIN Iraq has to be in the top five of worst Document: Article situated refugee camps in the world. It Date: November 17, 2008 violates every principle of proper camp Access: Open siting. In the no man's land between Syria The World Food Programme (WFP) has and Iraq, it is within the border zone itself. It said it is “hopeful” of resolving a Syrian ban is completely exposed on one side to a on imported rice that has left 30,000 Iraqi highway, where trucks alternately speed refugees facing much reduced food by or sit idle for hours at a time waiting to rations. “We are very hopeful for a positive make the border crossing.

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JHuman RightsJ

NGOs concerned about The SRSG welcomes the adoption detainees’ rights of the Independent High Source: IRIN Commission for Human Rights' Law Document: Article Source: UNAMI Date: November 17, 2008 Document: Article Access: Open Date: November 17, 2008 Local NGOs are concerned about Access: Open the rights of detainees in US military The Special Representative of the custody due to be transferred to the Iraqi Secretary-General for Iraq (SRSG), Staffan authorities in 2009 in line with a draft US- de Mistura welcomed the adoption on 16 Iraqi security pact. “There are fears among November by the Council of human rights activists, NGOs and Representatives of the Independent High parliamentarians about what the situation Commission for Human Rights’ law, as of these detainees will look like when they mandated in the Constitution. The are transferred to the Iraqi authorities,” proposal was presented by the Council of Iraqi activist Basil al-Azawi said. Representatives’ Human Rights Committee, following months of intensive work.

JGender and Cross-Cutting IssuesJ

Iraqi Woman Awarded for Rights Work Source: OneWorld Document: Article Date: November 13, 2008 Access: Open Three courageous women were honored Tuesday for advancing women's rights in their respective countries. Yanar Mohammed from Iraq, Sapana Pradhan Malla from Nepal, and Dr. Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian from Palestine are working against religious, political, and cultural biases that inhibit gender equality in their societies. OneWorld.net's Brittany Schell spoke to Mohammed Wednesday about women's rights in Iraq and her role in the Iraqi women's movement.

JFood security and livelihoodsJ

Iraqis measure progress with flip of half of demand, shaping how ordinary switch people go about their lives and hobbling Source: Reuters efforts to rebuild a shattered economy Document: Article even as violence across the country drops Date: November 14, 2008 sharply. Access: Open For many Iraqis, progress in rebuilding a Needs and Opinions of the Poor in nation reduced to rubble by years of war Iraq and destruction is measured by the flick of Source: AlAmal a switch. Electricity has become a central, Document: Field Survey stubbornly negative, bellwether in Date: November 16, 2008 assessing how far the country has come Access: Open since the U.S.-led invasion to topple A field survey assessing the needs and Saddam Hussein. Iraq's electricity system is opinions of families benefiting from the improving, but supply still meets only about food meals project

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JWater and HealthcareJ

Cholera outbreak in Maysan Date: November 16, 2008 Source: NCCI Access: Open Document: Report Fears are growing in the northern province Date: September, 2008 of Ninevah, about 400km north of Access: Open Baghdad, of a possible radiation leak and A collection of reports and articles about contamination from a former nuclear the “cholera outbreak” in Maysan; plant. According to two local officials, the updated regularly. plant - which was built in the early 1980s by a group of European and Russian Nuclear contamination in northern companies for the government of former president Saddam Hussein - is suspected province of Ni nevah? of causing a number of cancers and Source: IRIN deformities among babies and adults. Document: Article

JEducationJ

Education in Iraq and the Specter of Sectarianism Source: Asharq Alawsat Document: Article Date: November 18, 2008 Access: Open The issue of changing the education curriculum of Iraq was raised once again last week by the Shiite religious authority in Najaf. In comments carried by Asharq Al Awsat, Sheik Khalid Al Numani, Vice-President of the Najaf Provincial Council revealed that this demand for change of the curriculum has been made time and time again, and that the Minister of Education had also been made aware of this.

JMinesJ

Iraq struggles to sweep Saddam's landmine legacy Source: Reuters Document: Article Date: November 16, 2008 Access: Open Inside an Iraqi clinic close to where Saddam Hussein's henchmen killed thousands of Kurds with poison gas, Azima Qadar waits for a check up of her artificial limb.Her right leg was blown off by a land mine as she went to tend her family's walnut farm in rural northern Iraq, near the Iranian border, in 1993.

JHumanitarian SpaceJ

Center for Fallujah all human rights اﺳﺘﻨﻜﺎر Denunciation international organizations Human rights and freedom to act to stop organized Source: IID Document: Article crime and fighting Enough blood and Date: November 4, 2008 waste in Iraq. Access: Open The Use of Private Security Providers ﻳﺴﺘﻨﻜﺮ اﻟﻤﺆﺳﺴﺔ اﻟﻌﺮاﻗﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﺘﻨﻤﻴﺔ ﻣﻊ ﻣﺮآﺰ اﻟﻔﻠﻮﺟﺔ and Services in Humanitarian ﻟﺤﻘﻮق اﻻﻧﺴﺎن اﻟﺤﺎدث اﻻﺟﺮاﻣﻲ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻔﻠﻮﺟﺔ اﻟﺬي Operations اﻧﺘﻬﻰ ﺑﺈﺳﺘﺸﻬﺎد ﺳﺎﺟﺪ ﻳﺎﺳﻴﻦ اﻟﻌﻠﻮاﻧﻲ ﻣﺪﻳﺮ ﻣﻨﻈﻤﺔ Source: ODI/HPG اﻟﻨﺴﺎف ﻟﻸﻏﺎﺛﺔ واﻟﺘﻨﻤﻴﺔ واﻋﺘﻘﺎل 5 ﻣﻦ اﺧﻮﺗﻪ ﻓﻲ Document: Report ﻣﻨﻄﻘﺔ اﻟﻨﺴﺎف ﻏﺮب اﻟﻔﻠﻮﺟﺔ ﻋﻠﻰ اﻳﺪي ﻗﻮة اﻣﺮﻳﻜﻴﺔ Date: November 17, 2008 ﻋﺮاﻗﻴﺔ ، وﻳﺪﻋﻮ ﻣﺮآﺰ اﻟﻔﻠﻮﺟﺔ ﻟﺤﻘﻮق اﻻﻧﺴﺎن آﺎﻓﺔ Access: Open As conditions of insecurity continue to اﻟﻤﻨﻈﻤﺎت اﻟﺪوﻟﻴﺔ اﻟﻤﻌﻨﻴﺔ ﺑﺤﻘﻮق اﻻﻧﺴﺎن واﻟﺤﺮﻳﺔ ﺑﺄن challenge international humanitarian ﺗﻌﻤﻞ ﻋﻠﻰ اﻳﻘﺎف اﻟﺠﺮاﺋﻢ اﻟﻤﻨﻈﻤﺔ وآﻔﻰ ﻋ ﻨ ﻔ ﺎً و ﻗ ﺘ ﺎ ﻻً operations in many countries around the وﺗﺒﺬﻳﺮا ﺑﺎﻟﺪم اﻟﻌﺮاﻗﻲ .. Fallujah the Iraqi Institution for world, aid organisations have adopted a Development with Center for Human number of different measures in response. Rights condemns criminal incident in Among the most controversial of these Fallujah that ended in the death of Yassin measures has been the contracting of al-Alwani, Sajid Alnsav Director of Relief commercial entities to provide security and Development and 5 of his brothers services for operations and personnel. arrested in the Alnsav west of Fallujah at the hands of a US-Iraqi force, and the

JFinance and FundingJ

Microcredit and other loan programs in protracted refugee situations: Lessons from the Alchemy Project. Source: FIC Document: Article Date: November 14, 2008 Access: Open In the interests of exploring livelihood interventions that could support the financial resilience of refugees and IDPs, the Feinstein International Center is pleased to make available a paper titled "Microcredit and other loan programs in protracted refugee situations: Lessons from the Alchemy Project."

NCCI Weekly Highlight 12 Issue 136- 20/11/2008

JCoordinationJ

Coordination Meetings for Iraq Source: NCCI International Federation of the Red Document: Article Cross/Crescent Iraq Plan 2009/10 Date: October 29, 2008 Source: IFRC Access: Open Document: Report Details of coordination meetings Date: November 18, 2008 concerning Iraq. Access: Open Plan for the International Red Iraqi National Development Cross/Crescent’s activities in Iraq for Strategy 2007-2010 2009/10. Source: GOI Document: Strategy Paper Invitation letter to Roundtable and Date: March, 2007 Workshop on Local Governance Access: Open The National Development Strategy of Iraq and Public Sector Reform for the period 2007-2010 Source: UNDP Document: Invitation (AR) Date: November 20, 2008 NGO Security Collaboration Access: Open Guidelines Invitation letter by MoPDC to the Director Source: EC Generals at different Ministries to Document: Article participate in the round table and Date: 2006 workshop on Dec and Local Governance Access: Open and Public Sector Reform on 30 Nov. and Guidelines in enhancing NGO security 1st December in Baghdad. collaboration in the field.

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______Reference Documents

SOFA Text International Compact with Iraq Source: NCCI Source: GoI Document: Status of Forces Agreement Document: Compact Date: November 2008 Date: 2006 Access: Members Access: Open Text of the Status of Forces Agreement The International Compact is the initiative between the USA and Iraq (unconfirmed). of the Government of Iraq for a new partnership with the international The Code of Conduct for the ICRC community. and NGOs in Disaster Relief UN SC Resolution 1511 Source: ICRC Source: UN Document: Code of Conduct Document: SC Resolution Date: 1994 Date: 2003 Access: Open Access: Open The international code of standards for the The UN Security Council Resolution giving ICRC and humanitarian NGOs, working in MNF-I the mandate to be in Iraq. disaster relief situations. UN SC Resolution 1790 UN SC Resolution 1830 Source: UN Source: UN Document: SC Resolution Document: SC Resolution Date: 2007 Date: 2008 Access: Open Access: Open The UN Security Council Resolution The latest UN Security Council resolution renewing the MNF-I the mandate to be in regarding Iraq and UNAMI. Iraq until 31st December 2008.

UN SC Resolution 1770 Source: UN UN SC Resolution 661 Document: SC Resolution Source: UN Date: 2007 Document: SC Resolution Access: Open Date: 1990 The UN Security Council resolution Access: Open The UN Security Council Resolution regarding Iraq for 2007, including the imposing sanctions on Iraq after the expanded UNAMI mandate invasion of Kuwait

UN SC Resolution 1546 Helsinki II Source: UN Source: CMI Document: SC Resolution Document: Multi-National Agreement Date: 2003 Date: July 2008 Access: Open Access: Open The UN Security Council resolution setting The full text of the Helsinki II agreements the mandate of UNAMI International Reconstruction Fund UN SC Resolution 1500 for Iraq Source: UN Source: IRFFI Document: SC Resolution Document: Fund Date: 2003 Date: 2004 Access: Open Access: Open The UN Security Council resolution Information about the International establishing UNAMI Reconstruction Fund for Iraq

NCCI Weekly Highlight 14 Issue 136- 20/11/2008

Sphere Standards: English/Arabic Document: Guidelines Source: Sphere Project Date: 2005 Document: Code of Practice Access: Open Date: 2004 Guidelines for relations between US Armed Access: Open Forces and NGOs in hostile or potentially The Sphere Charter and Minimum hostile environments Standards in Disaster Response. Air Serv Timetable Iraq’s Political Structure Source: NCCI Document: Timetable Source: USAID Date: October 2008 Document: Report Access: Members Date: 2008 Access: Open Air Serv’s timetable for October 2008 A description of the political structure of Iraq. NGO Assistance Office Guidelines for registering International NGOs in Iraqi Legal Database Iraq Source: ILD Source: NCCI Document: Database (Arabic) Document: Guidelines Date: September 2008 Date: November 2008 Access: Open Access: Open All laws, regulations, constitutions and Guidelines of the Iraq Ngo Assistance orders etc. of Iraq from 1917to 2008. Office for registering international NGOs in Iraq. Guidelines for relations between US armed forces and NGOs Source: InterAction

NCCI Weekly Highlight 15 Issue 136- 20/11/2008

Schedule Updates

We encourage you to check regularly our Weekly Schedule on our Website for updates.

rd ¾ Sunday 23 November – WATSAN SOT – 10am UNICEF, Amman

¾ Wednesday 26th November – Education SOT – 1pm UNICEF, Amman

Upcoming important dates

¾ November 21/Thw al-Qi’dah 23 – November 21/Thw al-Qi’dah 23 - Anniversary of Imam Redha's Martyrdom

¾ November 23/Thw al-Qi’dah 25 – Iraqi Students Day/Prophet Ibrahim Birthday

¾ November 27/Thw al-Qi’dah 27 – Black Holy Rock landed

Updates & Announcements

If you have an announcement, if you are aware of meetings, events, humanitarian update or if you would like to make known some information, please details to [email protected]

¾ Call for candidates for the 30th International Human Rights Training Program, Montreal, Canada, June 14 to July 3, 2009. Further information can be found

here

¾ Global WASH Cluster is holding a workshop on the right to water and sanitation in emergencies, 26-27 January 2009, Amman. Further information can be found here

¾ CVs can be uploaded here

¾ CVs can be checked here

¾ Employment opportunities can be examined here

NCCI Weekly Highlight 16 Issue 136- 20/11/2008