UN mission in Iraq set to conclude by end of 2025

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
31 May 2024 21:31

The Iraqi Prime Minister has formally requested the closure of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) in a letter to the council earlier this month.

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View of the main entrance of the "Palais des Nations" building which houses the United Nations Offices in Geneva (AFP)

At Baghdad's request, the UN Security Council has unanimously agreed that the United Nations political mission in Iraq will end its operations by the end of 2025, concluding over two decades of involvement in the country.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani formally requested the closure of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) in a letter to the council earlier this month.

Al-Sudani stated that UNAMI had successfully navigated significant and diverse obstacles, and he highlighted that the conditions necessitating a political mission in Iraq have dissipated. The resolution passed by the UNSC on Friday extends the mission's tenure for a final 19-month stretch until December 31, 2025, at which point UNAMI will terminate all activities and operations.

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The UN Security Council established the mission through a resolution in 2003, following a request from the Iraqi government in the aftermath of the US-led invasion and the downfall of Saddam Hussein. Its responsibilities include offering guidance to the government on political dialogue, reconciliation efforts, electoral processes, and security sector reform.

During the mission's last extension in May 2023, the Council directed the secretary-general to conduct a strategic review, overseen by German diplomat Volker Perthes. In a report released in March, Perthes suggested that terminating the mandate could be appropriate, as he found that "the two-year period identified by the government for the mission's drawdown can be a sufficient time frame to make further progress."

Perthes also emphasized that this timeframe would allow for the assurance of hesitant Iraqis that the transition wouldn't jeopardize democratic advancements or peace and stability. As UN missions require the host nation's consent to operate, Russia, China, Britain, and France all expressed backing for a shift in the Iraq-UN partnership this month.

Meanwhile, the United States' stance was less explicit, with UN ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield claiming that UNAMI still had significant tasks ahead without directly addressing Baghdad's request.

Thomas-Greenfield underscored the mission's responsibilities in facilitating elections and advocating for human rights, despite Iraq's preference for the mission to prioritize economic matters.