Iraq
US Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowski (left) and Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein (right) in a meeting in Baghdad on May 13, 2024. Photo: Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - United States Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowski met with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein on Monday to discuss a host of topics including the future of the United Nations Assistance Mission to Iraq (UNAMI) after the Iraqi government formally requested the mission’s end.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Wednesday requested UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to permanently end UNAMI’s mandate by the end of 2025, emphasizing that “the justifications for having a political mission in Iraq are no longer valid.”
“Important meeting with Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein to discuss the future of UNAMI, regional developments, and the importance of timely elections in the IKR [Iraqi Kurdistan Region],” Romanowski said on X.
“Continuous information sharing on policy issues is an essential part of our #USIraq360partnership,” she added.
In the letter sent to Guterres, Sudani stressed that during the remaining time, UNAMI’s efforts “should be limited to completing its work solely on issues such as economic reform, service delivery, sustainable development, climate change, and other developmental aspects, as well as finishing the winding down and a responsible shutdown processes during 2025."
Sudani added that the Iraqi government is ready to "fully cooperate and offer support" as well as sending a technical team to discuss and agree on a mechanism to shut down the mission.
UNAMI was established in August 2003 at the request of Iraq under the UNSC resolution 1500, to support Baghdad’s developmental efforts. The mandate of the body has been extended annually since then.
Although UNAMI does not directly implement developmental and humanitarian programs, it plays a significant role in facilitating partnership and technical cooperation between the Iraqi government and the 20 United Nations agencies, funds, and programs operating in the country.
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