Iraq wants UN mission to end after 2025

In a letter to the United Nations Security Council, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani described what he said were "positive developments and achievements" made by Iraqi governments, according to AFP on May 10.

Mr al-Sudani said the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), which has existed since 2003, had overcome "many major challenges", and concluded that there was no longer a basis for continuing to maintain the mission in Iraq.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani attends the first session of negotiations between Iraq and the United States to end the mission of the International Coalition, in Baghdad (Iraq) on January 27.

Since then, Mr. al-Sudani has called on the United Nations to end its mission in Iraq by December 31, 2025. He said that UNAMI should only focus on issues related to " economic reform, service delivery, sustainable development, climate change and other development areas during this time".

UNAMI was established in 2003 by a United Nations Security Council resolution at the request of the Iraqi government, expanded four years later, and is reviewed annually. UNAMI advises the Iraqi government on political dialogue and reconciliation, as well as electoral support and security sector reform.

The Security Council is expected to discuss the extension of UNAMI next week, as its current mandate expires at the end of this month. During the last extension of UNAMI in May 2023, the Security Council asked the UN secretary-general to conduct a strategic review, overseen by German diplomat Volker Perthes.

In a report released in March, Mr Perthes signalled a possible end to UNAMI, concluding that “the two-year period identified by the (Iraqi) government for ending that mission may be a sufficient timeframe to achieve further progress”.

Mr Perthes also concluded that the two-year period would provide enough time to reassure Iraqis who do not want to end UNAMI that the transition "will not lead to a reversal of democratic gains or a threat to peace and security", according to AFP.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/iraq-muon-phai-bo-lien-hiep-quoc-cham-dut-su-menh-sau-nam-2025-185240511092143608.htm