Baghdad, Iraq – United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, on Saturday to participate in the official ceremony marking the end of the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).
Which is scheduled to conclude its mission in Iraq in preparation for leaving by the end of this year.
The Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Iraq and Head of the United Nations
Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), Mohammed Al-Hassan, confirmed on Saturday,
The mission was successfully completed, and its departure came at the request of Iraq.
The mission… and two decades of work
Al-Hassan said, “UNAMI came to Iraq at the request of the Iraqis,
and ending its work also came at their request.”
He stressed that “the United Nations respects the wishes of the countries that host its missions,
No mission can operate without the consent and willingness of the host country to cooperate.”
He added that “Iraqis have hosted UNAMI for more than two decades,
and the work has been arduous.”
However, they found that the mission entrusted to UNAMI had achieved its objectives.
It’s time for them to take matters into their own hands, just like the rest of the world.”
Three files
Al-Hassan explained that “the mission’s task was successfully completed,
and only three files remain, relating to missing persons from the State of Kuwait.”
The citizens of the three countries since the war and the invasion of Kuwait,
in addition to the file of Kuwaiti properties, and the Kuwaiti National Archives.”
He stated that “this does not mean the end of the United Nations’ presence in Iraq,
as it will remain through specialized agencies,
In addition to communication between Iraq, as a member of the Human Rights Council,
and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.”
He stressed that lifting sanctions on Iraqi banks is essential for sustainable development.
He noted that December 31 is the deadline for the UNAMI mission to leave.
