Baghdad: Iraq has formally requested the conclusion of the United Nations Assistance Mission established post the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, proposing its termination by the end of 2025, asserting significant strides towards stability within the nation.
Established within Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone, the mission was endowed with a broad mandate encompassing the development of Iraqi institutions, facilitation of political dialogue and elections, and the advancement of human rights.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani emphasized Iraq’s intention to enhance collaboration with other U.N. entities while deeming the political endeavors of the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) redundant.
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In a letter addressed to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Sudani remarked, “Iraq has managed to take important steps in many fields, especially those falling under UNAMI’s mandate.”
Since 2023, Iraq has progressively phased out several international missions, including the U.S.-led coalition formed in 2014 to combat the Islamic State and the U.N.’s initiative aimed at fostering accountability for the group’s atrocities.
Officials from Iraq assert the nation’s significant distance from the sectarian violence following the invasion and the Islamic State’s bid to establish a caliphate, asserting diminished reliance on international aid.
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Despite this optimism, concerns linger regarding the stability of Iraq’s nascent democracy, exacerbated by recurring conflicts and the presence of heavily armed military-political factions, engaging in street battles as recently as 2022.
Diplomats and U.N. officials voice apprehensions regarding human rights and accountability within Iraq, frequently cited among the world’s most corrupt nations, with activists lamenting restrictions on freedom of expression in recent years.
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Iraq’s government contends that efforts are underway to combat corruption while refuting claims of dwindling space for free expression.
In a parallel development, Somalia’s government has also sought the termination of a U.N. political mission this week. In a missive to the Security Council, the nation’s foreign minister urged the withdrawal of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), which has provided counsel on peace-building, security reforms, and democracy for over a decade, without citing a specific reason.