The United Nations Security Council unanimously voted on Friday to end the UN political mission in Iraq, known as the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), by December 31, 2025. Established in 2003 following the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, UNAMI's mandate has been to coordinate post-conflict humanitarian and reconstruction efforts and assist in restoring a representative government in Iraq.
The decision to wind down UNAMI comes at the request of the Iraqi government, which, in a letter dated May 8, 2023, asked the council to conclude the mission by the end of 2025. The resolution extends UNAMI's mandate for a final 19 months until the end of December 2025.
The resolution, sponsored by the United States, directs UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to develop a "transition and liquidation plan" in consultation with the Iraqi government by December 31, 2024. This plan will outline the process for transferring UNAMI’s tasks and withdrawing its staff and assets.
The Security Council expressed support for Iraq's continued stabilization efforts, including its fight against the Islamic State (IS) group and al-Qaida extremists. Although the IS declared a caliphate in parts of Iraq and Syria in 2014 and attracted global support, it was defeated by a US-led coalition in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria in 2019. However, IS sleeper cells remain active in both countries.
Iraq is also looking to end the military coalition formed to combat IS. Currently, about 2,500 US troops are stationed in Iraq, primarily in Baghdad and the northern regions. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has asserted that Iraqi security forces are now capable of handling the remaining IS cells independently, reducing the need for foreign military presence.
Prime Minister al-Sudani's office welcomed the Security Council's decision, stating that it reflects the significant progress Iraq has made in various areas. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric affirmed the UN's commitment to fulfilling the resolution's tasks and supporting Iraq's aspirations for a peaceful and secure future.
Guterres acknowledged the "significant achievements" in Iraq since UNAMI's establishment in August 2003, highlighting the mission's role in promoting political dialogue, holding elections, ensuring accountability, protecting human rights, and aiding the return and reintegration of internally displaced persons.
The resolution also expresses support for Iraq’s reform initiatives aimed at combating corruption, protecting human rights, providing essential services, creating jobs, and diversifying the economy. It requests that UNAMI streamline its tasks before the mission's closure, focusing on advising, supporting, and providing technical assistance for free elections, including those for the federal Parliament and the Parliament in the Kurdistan region.
Additionally, the resolution authorizes UNAMI to assist in resolving outstanding issues between Iraq and Kuwait, which stem from Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait in August 1990.
