Habbaniyah, Anbar – At today’s Local Peace Conference in Habbaniyah, Anbar Governorate, and under sponsorship of the Governor of Anbar (head of the Central Peace Committee in Anbar) and the Mayor of Habbaniyah (head of the Habbaniyah Local Peace Committee) with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Iraq, a peace agreement was signed allowing the return of 524 displaced families perceived as affiliated with ISIL to their places of origin. 

Through extensive dialogue and mediation sessions facilitated by the Habbaniyah Local Peace Committee (LPC) and with support from local government, the peace agreement and its action plan were developed to ensure sustainable peace and community reintegration. The conference was attended by community representatives from security agencies, tribal and religious leaders, civil society, youth, women, and representatives of returning IDP (Internally Displaced Person) families. 

According to UNDP Iraq Resident Representative Zena Ali-Ahmad, “Encouraging the return and reintegration of perceived ISIL-affiliated families to their places of origin through implementing sustainable reintegration action plans is vital for durable solutions especially following camp closures and will continue throughout 2021 to ensure community peace and stability moving forward.” 

UNDP supports the work of 24 local peace committees in Ninewa, Salah al-Din, and Anbar governorates, with ongoing planning to form additional committees in Diyala and Kirkuk. These committees play a fundamental role in resolving conflicts, urging peaceful coexistence, and empowering various leaders to enhance community cohesion.

This conference is part of the UNDP project on community readiness and reintegration of perceived ISIL-affiliated IDP families and Local Peace Committees play a vital role in the project to enhance community readiness and reintegration through designing and implementing activities that facilitate dialogue, mediation, reintegration and trust-building between different community groups. The project is built on the UN Iraq joint approach for community-based reconciliation and reintegration of persons perceived to be affiliated with ISIL/Da’esh in Iraq.

Projects and interventions under the Social Cohesion Programme in Iraq are implemented with generous support from the governments of Denmark and Germany.

For additional information, please contact: 

Miriam Pineau, Media & Advocacy Project Specialist | +964 790 110 1982