United Nations Security Council Resolution 2199 (2015) on terrorist financing, including trade in cultural property from Iraq and Syria

Summary

On 12 February 2015, at its 7379th meeting, the UN Security Council adopted resolution 2199 (2015) on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts by Al-Qaida and associated groups. The UN Digital Library records the adoption as unanimous, and the text reproduced by UNESCO states it was adopted 'Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations'. The resolution as a whole addresses terrorist financing (as its commentators describe it; the full text was not read for this entry). Three paragraphs read for this entry deal with cultural heritage: paragraph 15 condemns the destruction of cultural heritage in Iraq and Syria; paragraph 16 notes with concern that these groups earn income from looting and smuggling cultural heritage items; and paragraph 17 decides that all Member States shall take appropriate steps to prevent trade in Iraqi and Syrian cultural property and similar items illegally removed from Iraq since 6 August 1990 and from Syria since 15 March 2011.

Sources: United Nations Dag Hammarskjold Library (UN Digital Library), UNESCO (copy hosted on the WTO import licensing site), Refworld (UNHCR), reproducing UN Security Council document S/RES/2199 (2015)

Legal basis

The text reproduced by UNESCO contains the preamble words 'Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations'. Paragraph 17 'Reaffirms its decision in paragraph 7 of resolution 1483 (2003)' and 'decides that all Member States shall take appropriate steps to prevent the trade in Iraqi and Syrian cultural property and other items of archaeological, historical, cultural, rare scientific, and religious importance illegally removed from Iraq since 6 August 1990 and from Syria since 15 March 2011, including by prohibiting cross-border trade in such items, thereby allowing for their eventual safe return to the Iraqi and Syrian people'. It also 'calls upon' UNESCO, Interpol and other international organizations, as appropriate, to assist in the implementation of the paragraph. The wording differs by paragraph: paragraph 15 'Condemns' and paragraph 16 'Notes with concern', whereas paragraph 17 uses 'decides that all Member States shall'. Only paragraphs 15 to 17 and the preamble phrase on Chapter VII were read for this entry; the remaining paragraphs (including the sanctions-related ones and paragraph 29 on reporting) were not read in full. Verification note (2026-10-15): the operative text could not be compared with the UN's own PDF. A second check confirmed only fragments: the Chapter VII preamble phrase and the openings of paragraphs 15, 16 and 17 (including 'Reaffirms its decision in paragraph 7 of resolution 1483 (2003) and decides that all Member States' and the 'calls upon' UNESCO and Interpol wording) in the UNESCO letter, and the phrases 'decides that all Member States shall take appropriate steps to prevent the trade in Iraqi and Syrian cultural property' and 'illegally removed from Iraq since 6 August 1990 and from Syria since 15 March 2011' in a Blue Shield page. The longer quoted passages should be treated as reproduced from the UNESCO letter and not yet independently confirmed against the UN original.

Sources: UNESCO (copy hosted on the WTO import licensing site)

Outcome

Resolution 2199 (2015) was adopted at the 7379th meeting on 12 February 2015; the UN Digital Library record notes it was adopted unanimously (an aggregator, unscr.com, records the tally as 15-0-0). On cultural heritage, the resolution as read condemns the destruction of cultural heritage in Iraq and Syria (paragraph 15), notes with concern the income that ISIL, ANF and associated groups generate from looting and smuggling cultural heritage items (paragraph 16), and decides that all Member States shall take appropriate steps to prevent trade in items illegally removed from Iraq since 6 August 1990 and from Syria since 15 March 2011, including by prohibiting cross-border trade in such items (paragraph 17). No source read for this entry reports the effects of paragraph 17 or any enforcement or prosecution under it. The follow-up resolution 2253 (2015) is not covered, because no source read for this entry ties it to these paragraphs.

Sources: United Nations Dag Hammarskjold Library (UN Digital Library), UNESCO (copy hosted on the WTO import licensing site), unscr.com

Timeline

1. 6 August 1990
   Start of the period for Iraqi items covered by paragraph 17

   Paragraph 17 of resolution 2199 (2015) covers items 'illegally removed from Iraq since 6 August 1990'. The resolution text as read does not explain the choice of date.

   Sources: UNESCO (copy hosted on the WTO import licensing site)

2. 2003
   Resolution 1483 (2003), paragraph 7, reaffirmed

   Paragraph 17 of resolution 2199 'Reaffirms its decision in paragraph 7 of resolution 1483 (2003)'. The text of resolution 1483 was not read for this entry.

   Sources: UNESCO (copy hosted on the WTO import licensing site)

3. 15 March 2011
   Start of the period for Syrian items covered by paragraph 17

   Paragraph 17 covers items illegally removed 'from Syria since 15 March 2011'. The resolution text as read does not explain the choice of date.

   Sources: UNESCO (copy hosted on the WTO import licensing site)

4. 12 February 2015
   Resolution 2199 (2015) adopted at the 7379th meeting

   The Security Council adopted resolution 2199 (2015) at its 7379th meeting. The UN Digital Library record notes adoption unanimously; the draft was S/2015/100 and the meeting record is S/PV.7379. The preamble to the text reproduced by UNESCO reads 'Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations'.

   Sources: United Nations Dag Hammarskjold Library (UN Digital Library), UNESCO (copy hosted on the WTO import licensing site), Refworld (UNHCR), reproducing UN Security Council document S/RES/2199 (2015)

5. 12 February 2015
   Paragraphs 15 and 16 on destruction and looting of cultural heritage

   Paragraph 15 'Condemns the destruction of cultural heritage in Iraq and Syria particularly by ISIL and ANF, whether such destruction is incidental or deliberate, including targeted destruction of religious sites and objects'. Paragraph 16 'Notes with concern' that ISIL, ANF and other associated groups 'are generating income from engaging directly or indirectly in the looting and smuggling of cultural heritage items' from archaeological sites, museums, libraries, archives and other sites in Iraq and Syria.

   Sources: UNESCO (copy hosted on the WTO import licensing site)

6. 12 February 2015
   Paragraph 17 decides that Member States shall prevent trade in Iraqi and Syrian cultural property

   The Council 'decides that all Member States shall take appropriate steps to prevent the trade in Iraqi and Syrian cultural property and other items of archaeological, historical, cultural, rare scientific, and religious importance illegally removed from Iraq since 6 August 1990 and from Syria since 15 March 2011, including by prohibiting cross-border trade in such items', and 'calls upon' UNESCO, Interpol and other international organizations, as appropriate, to assist in implementing the paragraph.

   Sources: UNESCO (copy hosted on the WTO import licensing site)

7. 6 March 2015 (printed 06/03/2015)
   UNESCO Director-General letter CL/4100 on the resolution

   UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova sent letter CL/4100 about resolution 2199, reproducing its text. The letter's date is printed as 06/03/2015 and is read as 6 March 2015 (day/month), which is an inference. The letter's addressees and requests were not read for this entry.

   Sources: UNESCO (copy hosted on the WTO import licensing site)

Connected pages

• Iraq — named in paragraph 17 (items illegally removed from Iraq since 6 August 1990)
• Syria — named in paragraph 17 (items illegally removed from Syria since 15 March 2011)