Sets 2025 deadline for closure
Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Sudani calls for end of UN mission
BAGHDAD – Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani called on United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday to permanently terminate the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) by the end of December 2025.
In the letter to Guterres, Al-Sudani cited Iraq’s significant progress towards stability as the reason for no longer requiring the UN’s assistance. he emphasized that UNAMI’s activities in Iraq should now be limited solely to completing tasks related to economic reform, service delivery, sustainable development, and climate change. Al-Sudani stressed the importance of achieving a responsible closure, including completing the liquidation and closure procedures by the end of 2025.
The prime minister’s call follows a detailed report issued by UNAMI last April, which reflected on the two decades since the fall of the former Ba’ath regime and highlighted ongoing threats to the country. This report was in response to a request from the Iraqi government for the UN Mission to conclude its work in Iraq.
In the letter, Al-Sudani expressed concerns about the operations of the Security Council’s associated “Strategic Review Team,” criticizing its consultations with unofficial parties. He regretted the team’s latest report, which he believes failed to distinguish between the official government perspective and the views of “unofficial parties.”
UNAMI’s presence in Iraq over the past couple of decades has supported the development of the country’s political process and institutions and facilitated humanitarian programs. However, the mission has faced criticism from various quarters, including civil society activists who accused it of legitimizing corrupt politicians and militia leaders by engaging with them. Additionally, media reports exposing corruption by some UN staff in Iraq have tarnished the organization’s reputation among many Iraqis.
It remains to be seen how the UN will respond to the Iraqi government’s request for the termination of UNAMI’s mission in Iraq.
Independent review completed on UNAMI presence in Iraq
Iraqi government seeks development focus for UNAMI
