Among them are Russia and China... Members of the Security Council support ending the mission of the UNAMI mission in Iraq, 17 MAY

Among them are Russia and China... Members of the Security Council support ending the mission of the UNAMI mission in Iraq

 Yesterday, Thursday, a number of members of the UN Security Council, including Russia and China, supported Baghdad’s request to end the mission of the United Nations mission in Iraq by next year, but Washington did not immediately provide its support for this step.

Last week, the Iraqi government asked the United Nations to end, by the end of 2025, its political mission that it has been performing in the country for more than 20 years, considering that it is no longer necessary.

Iraq's Deputy Representative to the United Nations, Abbas Kadhim Obaid Al-Fatlawi, repeated the request before the Council, yesterday, Thursday, saying, "The mission achieved its goals."

Russian envoy Vasily Nebenzia supported this view, saying: “Iraqis are ready to take responsibility for the political future of their country.”

He added: "The remaining problems must not become an excuse for the United Nations mission to remain in the country indefinitely."

China's Deputy Representative to the United Nations, Geng Shuang, noted that within the framework of the annual renewal of the mission, whose mandate expires at the end of May, the Council must "propose a plan in order to ensure gradual withdrawal and a smooth transition towards final withdrawal."

Given that UN missions can only operate with the consent of the host country, Britain and France have also expressed their support for the shift in the partnership between Iraq and the UN.

The position of the United States was more ambiguous, as Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that the United Nations Mission (UNAMI) still had “important work to perform,” and did not address Baghdad’s request.

She emphasized the mission's key role in many important political issues, such as supporting the organization of elections and promoting human rights, although Iraq clearly requested that the mission focus more directly on economic issues.

In an assessment requested by the council, German diplomat Volker Perthes said in March that UNAMI, which had more than 700 staff as of late 2023, “appears in its current form to be too large.”

Perthes called on the mission to "begin transferring its tasks to the national institutions and the United Nations team in the country in a responsible, organized and gradual manner within an agreed upon time frame."  link