Munsee

Iraq has asked for the United Nations Assistance Mission (UNAMI), set up after the 2003 US led invasion, to conclude its work by the end of 2025. Iraqi officials argue that the mission, known as UNAMI, is no longer required due to significant progress towards stability.

UNAMI, headquartered in Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone, was established with a broad mandate to support Iraqi institutions, political dialogue, elections, and human rights.

However, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has suggested that Iraq no longer needs the mission’s political support, though it seeks continued collaboration with other UN agencies.

In a letter to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Sudani highlighted Iraq’s progress in areas covered by UNAMI’s mandate.

The head of UNAMI in Iraq often mediates between political, judicial, and security leaders. While supporters see the mission’s involvement as crucial to conflict resolution, critics have sometimes accused it of interference.

Since 2023, Iraq’s government has been winding down international missions, including the US led coalition formed in 2014 to combat the Islamic State and the UN mission promoting accountability for crimes committed by the jihadist group.

Iraqi officials insist the country has recovered from sectarian violence following the invasion and from the Islamic State’s attempt to establish a caliphate, making international assistance less essential.

Despite this progress, some diplomats and critics are concerned about the fragile state of Iraq’s young democracy, given frequent conflicts involving heavily armed political-military groups and human rights challenges.

Critics argue that freedom of expression has declined, while Iraqi authorities claim they are tackling corruption and protecting fundamental freedoms.

Similarly, Somalia’s government has also called for ending a UN political mission. In a letter to the Security Council, the foreign minister…

Continue reading

Iraq has demanded that a UN assistance mission, set up after the 2003 US-led invasion of the country, ends its work by the end of 2025.

Unami is no longer required as the Middle East country has made significant progress towards stability and wants to deepen co-operation with other UN organisations, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani said.

“Iraq has managed to take important steps in many fields, especially those that fall under Unami’s mandate,” he said in a letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

The mission, based in Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone, was set up to help develop Iraqi institutions, support political dialogue and elections, and promote human rights.

Unami’s chief in Iraq often meets top political, judicial and security officials in work that supporters see as important to preventing and resolving conflicts but which critics have described as interference.

Since 2023, Iraq has moved to end several international missions, including the US-led coalition created in 2014 to fight ISIS and a UN mission established to promote accountability for the extremist group’s crimes.

Iraqi officials argue that the country has come a long way from the sectarian bloodletting that took place after the US-led invasion and during the attempt by ISIS to establish a caliphate, and that it no longer needs as much international help.

However, some critics worry about the stability of the young democracy, given recurring conflicts and the presence of many heavily armed military-political groups that have often fought battles on the streets, the last time being in 2022.

Some diplomats and UN officials also worry about human rights and accountability in a country that frequently ranks among the world’s most corrupt and where activists say freedom of expression has been curtailed in recent years.

Iraq’s government says it is working to fight corruption and denies…

Continue reading