The mission was established in 2003 by a UN Security Council resolution. (Representative)
United Nations:
At Baghdad’s request, the UN Security Council unanimously decided on Friday that the United Nations political mission in Iraq would leave the country after more than twenty years at the end of 2025.
Earlier this month, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani called for the closure of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) in a letter to the council.
Al-Sudani said UNAMI has overcome “major and varied challenges” and that “the grounds for having a political mission in Iraq” no longer exist.
The UN Security Council resolution adopted Friday extended the mission’s mandate for “a final period of 19 months until December 31, 2025, after which UNAMI will cease all work and operations.”
The mission was established in 2003 by a UN Security Council resolution at the request of the Iraqi government following the US-led invasion and fall of Saddam Hussein.
It advises the government on political dialogue and reconciliation, and assists with elections and security sector reforms.
During the previous extension of the mission in May 2023, the Council asked the Secretary General to launch a strategic review, supervised by German diplomat Volker Perthes.
In a report released in March, Perthes indicated that an end to the mandate may be appropriate, concluding that “the two-year period set by the government for the withdrawal of the mission may be a sufficient time frame to to make further progress.”
He also said this period would provide time to reassure reluctant Iraqis that the transition “will not lead to a reversal of democratic gains nor threaten peace and security.”
Given that UN missions can only operate with the consent of the host country, Russia, China, Britain and France all expressed support this month for a transition in the Iraq-United Nations partnership.
The United States was more vague, with U.N. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield saying UNAMI still had “important work to do” and making no mention of Baghdad’s request.
She emphasized the mission’s role in organizing elections and promoting human rights, even as Iraq asked for the mission to focus more on economic issues.
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