Type of Intervention: Executive Order
Sectors Involved: Civil Defence, Executive Office, Foreign Affairs, Health, Immigration, Local Government, Police and Interior Affairs
Intervention Categories: International travel measures
Level of Jurisdiction: National
Lead People/Agency: PM Adel Abdul Mahdi
Overview: After the consultative meeting on the return of Iraqis abroad, Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi’s office announced several decisions in this regard.
Firstly: Divide the countries of the world into two groups according to the incidence of infection in the country whereby upon arrival each group are received differently:
A. A group with a high incidence (injury incidence rate is more than 500 cases per million).
B. A group with a low incidence (incidence of infection is less than 500 cases per million).
The Ministry of Health is required to send lists containing the names of countries with a high and low incidence rate to all relevant agencies and updates them according to epidemiological changes.
Secondly: The Iraqi armed forces are ready to provide the necessary support regarding receiving arrivals at airports and border crossings, providing adequate buildings, and preparing special aircraft if necessary, whenever requested to do so with the approval of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
Third: The Ministry of Interior retains the passports of Iraqis returning from abroad with the Passports Department, until the expiry of the quarantine period.
Fourth: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs the Iraqis wishing to return to Iraq of the mechanism that was set for their return and approval, as well as organizing tables and lists of the names of Iraqis wishing to return.
Fifth: The Ministry of Transport should prepare a schedule for trips and prepare the necessary buses to transport arrivals to quarantine places.
Sixth: The Ministry of Health should prepare a staff of specialized physicians and health staff from volunteers at airports, for the purpose of educating the returnees about the procedures required of them during the compulsory or domestic quarantine period, according to the approved health regulations.
Seventh: The Ministry of Health shall issue identifying information regarding domestic quarantine and preventive measures that will be distributed in aircraft to returning Iraqis, and that they will be read from aircraft crews during flights.
Eighth: The procedures for conducting the first flight is immediately commenced according to the priorities set by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Health, and the process of transferring Iraqis from abroad continues successively.
Ninth: The entry of the corpses into Iraq is according to the laws in force, including the Public Health Law No. (89) for the year 1981 and the treatment of accompanying corpses, is equal to arrivals from outside Iraq with regard to fighting the Corona virus epidemic. the health. The head of the Border Ports Authority is empowered to bring the bodies of the deceased Iraqis abroad in coordination with the Ministry of Health.
Type of Justification: No justification given
Evidence/Justification: the need to find solutions for the return of Iraqis abroad, and to give the issue the utmost importance that their return be subject to the procedures of the Ministry of Health, directing state institutions to provide the necessary preparations to meet their requirements each according to its specialty, and that the Iraqi armed forces take their role in escorting the returnees and providing logistical support Until the end of the term of the stone.