Succeeding Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert

UN appoints Mohamed Al Hassan to lead Iraq mission

2024-07-15 | 21:09

NEWSROOM – United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Mohamed Al Hassan of the Sultanate of Oman as the new Special Representative for Iraq and head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq. Al Hassan, who brings over thirty years of diplomatic experience to the role, succeeds Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert.

Al Hassan has served as Oman’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York since 2019, where he advocated for Oman’s positions on various global issues. Prior to this role, he held significant positions within Oman’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Acting Undersecretary for Diplomatic Affairs in 2016, Chief of Staff in 2015, and Head of the Minister’s Department in 2012.

UNAMI was established in 2003 by UN Security Council Resolution 1500 at Iraq’s request. It serves as a special political mission, advising and assisting Iraq in advancing inclusive political dialogue, national reconciliation, electoral processes, and human rights protection. Additionally, the mission facilitates regional dialogue and coordinates humanitarian and development efforts, connecting Iraqi partners with UN technical expertise.

The new UNAMI chief holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Washington, a Master of Science degree in International Relations from St. John’s University, and a PhD in Economics from Moscow State University of Economics, Statistics, and Informatics. He speaks Arabic, English, Norwegian, and Russian.

Al Hassan’s appointment follows Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani’s call for UN Secretary-General Guterres to permanently terminate UNAMI by December 2025. Al-Sudani cited Iraq’s “significant progress towards stability” as grounds for ending the UN’s assistance. The decision to terminate the UNAMI mission has prompted domestic concerns about Iraq’s political future, particularly among Kurdish and Sunni Arab communities, who fear increasing influence from Shia political groups aligned with Iran.