Report: The departure of the United Nations mission from Iraq is an important step for the Sudanese government
A report today, Friday, explained that the departure of the United Nations mission present in Iraq at the end of this month of May is a step of great importance to Iraqi sovereignty and to the government of Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani.
The report, which was published by the newspaper in English, and translated by Mail, stated, “The call to end the mission of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq is part of a larger effort made by Baghdad to change the image of Iraq and direct it to an era that focuses on normal bilateral relations with other countries and international institutions.”
Renad Mansour, director of the Iraq Initiative at Chatham House, said, “The veneer of sovereignty is important for the government of Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa al-Sudani,” noting that “Baghdad wants to show that this is not the same Iraq that witnessed a civil war, rebellions, or all of these types of conflicts that... "I have represented the country for the past few years, but this is a new chapter."
He added, "This is also why the Sudanese government hopes to renegotiate the presence of international forces present in Iraq as part of the anti-ISIS coalition."
Moreover, Baghdad believes that the presence of special UN oversight and officials reporting to the Security Council on its often embarrassing local dynamics hampers its strategy .
Other countries, which of course have their own problems, are not subject to similar reporting requirements .
Last year, Baghdad requested a strategic review of UNAMI activities as part of a one-year extension of the mission's mandate. This led to the visit of former UN official Volker Perthes to Iraq in November. He met with a wide range of actors across the country to assess the Mission's activities and future.
Al-Sudani's letter in April was a response to the strategic review's activities and conclusions. It objected to the fact that Peretz met with officials and figures from outside the Government of Iraq, including party officials and members of the Kurdistan Regional Government and civil society, and demanded a shorter timetable for the closure of the UN mission and the cessation of its activities. To be limited to non-political jobs.
Mansour pointed out that "there is a great debate about the role of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, but not everyone agrees with the government in Baghdad that the mission's political activities are no longer needed . "
The report continued, "The end of the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq will not mean that Iraq is completely ending United Nations activities in the country . "
Mansour said, "This is a symbolic effort on the part of the government to present the country as a sovereign state that does not need a UN mission, nor does it need to hold a briefing to the UN Security Council every three months."
Some members of the international community have expressed their fear of ending the mission, albeit in diplomatic language.
The United States is a particularly important actor because it has the pen on Iraqi issues in the Security Council, which means it leads negotiations and drafts resolutions. This will be important in the coming weeks link