Iraqi minister announces French-Italian draft resolution

Minister of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities Friad Rwandzi announced that France and Italy are working to submit a draft resolution to the UN Security Council, which is expected to be adopted within the next few days on the protection of monuments in war zones.
 
The minister added that the meeting of donor countries of the International Fund for the Protection of the World Cultural Heritage resulted in the collection of 75 million dollars, while others pledged to contribute to the fund as soon as possible.
 
He added that this draft resolution is one of the most important projects, especially as it will include practical steps to protect the monuments and prevent its trafficking.

The draft resolution is a culmination of the efforts of Culture Minister Farid Rwandzi, during the past year and the first quarter of this year, in the rehabilitation and maintenance of Iraqi monuments, which were destroyed and looted by ISIS's gangs.

 The two-day donors' conference succeeded in mobilizing the international community to fund urgent and rapid interventions for the effects of armed conflict, risks of various kinds, combating illicit trafficking in antiquities and restoring damaged heritage and cultural property.

For his part, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development Jean-Marc Errolt praised the Iraqi minister at the opening of the meeting of donor countries to the International Fund for the Protection of Cultural Heritage.  He stressed that the French policy is stable and sustainable in this area to support Iraq in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of archaeological areas.

According to Rwandze, French Culture Minister Audrey Ozley expected the amount to exceed 1,000 million, the ceiling set by those concerned to reach it. The minister said the contributions of donor countries were: France $30 million, Saudi Arabia $20, UAE $15, Kuwait $5, Luxembourg $3.5, Morocco $1.5, and private company $ 1 million, pointing out the commitment of Britain, America China, Germany, Korea, Japan and other countries to contribute In the Fund, as soon as possible.

It is known that this initiative came through France and the United Arab Emirates, which was personally adopted by François Oland and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed. It was managed by Jacques Lamde, president of the Arab Institute in Paris, who served as French Minister of Culture under the late President François Mitterrand. Supreme Council of Tourism in the UAE.