Iraqis bid farewell to the UN mission, look with trepidation to the future government
The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) will end on 31 December after more than 20 years. A farewell ceremony was held recently in the presence of the UN secretary general. The country has grown and become more stable, but some uncertainty remains. After last month’s election, Iraqis are waiting to see a new government take over with uncertainty over the chances of the incumbent prime minister. For Cardinal Sako, Iraqis are waiting for the “birth of a new Iraq”.
Milan (AsiaNews) – After more than 20 years, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) is winding down its operations in the Mideast country. During this period, it has experienced wars, political upheavals, and the fight against the Islamic State (IS).
To mark the end of its mandate on 31 December, a closure that one of its top officials describes as “honourable, dignified, and earned”, a closing ceremony was held on the evening of December 13 in the capital, in the presence of high-ranking political and religious figures, both Muslim and Christian, including the Chaldean Patriarch of Baghdad, Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako.
Among the officials in attendance were United Nations Secretary General António Guterres and Iraq’s outgoing Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani, who praised the international organisation for its role over the past 22 years, a “period marked by challenges, hope, and determination,” reads a statement by the Prime Minister Media Office.
The latter added that UNAMI was “a vital partner in supporting and assisting Iraq following its liberation from dictatorship and in establishing a new system based on democracy and free representation of all its components.”
UNAMI: Sacrifice and Support
UNAMI chief Mohamed Al Hassan, who also serves as Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq, explained that the end of the mission reflects the transformation the country has undergone since its establishment in 2003, following decades of dictatorship, war, and terror.
Over the years, UNAMI has provided critical support in many areas: political stabilisation, inclusive national dialogue, and community reconciliation in conflict-affected areas. It has also played a central role in election assistance, contributing to multiple rounds of local and national elections.
“When UNAMI started, Iraq used to be a very different place than today,” Al Hassan said, citing one event above all others. A few days into the mission in August 2003, an attack on the UN headquarters in Baghdad resulted in the deaths of 22 staff members and wounding 100 others.
Since then. a new era has dawned. “With the sacrifices of the Iraqis first and foremost, and with international support, in particular the United Nations, Iraq believes it is ready to move to another phase, solidifying its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the UNAMI chief asserted.
The UN official continued by citing recent developments that confirm the stabilisation process, starting with the November election, which UNAMI supported, viewing it as among the most credible to date. With a 56 per cent turnout, it also shows renewed commitment by the public.
However, the country still feels the long-term impact of the conflict. Approximately one million Iraqis are internally displaced, including more than 100,000 Yazidis who still live in camps after unimaginable suffering at the hands of the Islamic State.
Certain issues remain, especially in relation to women’s rights and gender equality; nevertheless, “Iraq today is much better than before on women’s rights,” al-Hassan said. “But violence against women has unfortunately increased.”
For this reason, even though UNAMI is shutting down, “All the specialised agencies – UNICEF, WHO, IOM, UNDP, and many others – will remain in Iraq.”
With significant oil reserves and a large GDP, Iraq is not seeking aid, he noted. “Iraq does not need charity; it needs the support and friendship of the international community.”
Electoral uncertainty
Meanwhile, on Sunday, Iraq's Federal Supreme Court ratified the results from last month's parliamentary election, confirming that the party of caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani won the largest number of seats, but not enough to assure him a second term with seeking alliances with other parties.
Al-Sudani's Coalition for Reconstruction and Development won 46 of the 329 seats. Historically, the bloc that won the most seats in past elections often failed to impose its leader, and a prime minister was picked after agreements between different factions.
The coalition led by former Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki won 29 seats; the Sadiqoun Bloc, led by Asaib Ahl Al-Haq militia leader Qais Al-Khazali, won 28 seats; and Masoud Barzani's Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), one of Iraq's two main Kurdish parties, won 27 seats.
The Taqaddum (Progress) party of former Speaker Mohammed Al-Halbousi won 27 seats, paving the way for its leader's return or, at least, renewed influence in national politics.
Overall, Shia alliances and lists secured 187 seats, Sunni groups 77, Kurdish groups 56 seats, and nine seats are reserved for minority groups.
Al-Sudani came to power in 2022 with the support of the Coordination Framework, a coalition of Iranian-backed Shia parties, but it is unclear whether the alliance will support him again or if he will get the necessary votes from elsewhere to stay in the PM’s office.
What is certain is that without a single bloc capable of forming a government on its own, political leaders will have to begin negotiations to build a governing coalition.
The constitution provides the president with 15 days to convene the newly elected parliament, starting from the day the Court ratifies the vote. Among the first orders of business is the election by secret ballot of the new speaker and two deputies, by an absolute majority.
The speaker plays a key role, guiding and ratifying the process leading to the election of the head of state, the prime minister, and the cabinet.
Article 76 of the Constitution requires the president to nominate the candidate from the bloc that receives the most votes, who then has 30 days to form a new government. If unsuccessful, the president will then have to nominate a new candidate.
Sako: A New Iraq
The country is entering a phase of uncertainty and intense negotiations between the various factions, to ensure stability and, at least from the outgoing prime minister's perspective, continuity in government action.
Cardinal Sako recently offered his thoughts on the matter. In his view, Iraqis eagerly await "the birth of a new Iraq" capable of overcoming the critical issues of the past, not least the ethnic and sectarian violence that has plagued the country.
“After the fall of the previous regime in 2003," the cardinal wrote in a statement on the Chaldean Patriarchate website, "Iraqis eagerly awaited the creation of a new, secure, stable, democratic, and sovereign Iraq, with a civil system that treated all citizens equally. However, what happened was a system of sectarian quotas and tribal emirates, which opened the door to the bitter experience of the Islamic State, legitimised corruption, and established militias that, over time, became stronger than the state, pushing Iraqis to emigrate.”
Today, after 22 years of experience and new parliamentary elections, he warns, "a courageous stand" is needed to finally create a modern state through “improvement and reconciliation". To achieve this goal, it is necessary to closely examine the “rapidly evolving regional and international developments,” as well as “unify visions and coordinate positions.”
"Crises," the patriarch stressed, "are not resolved by force, but by opening up to contemporary culture, a more rational and realistic culture that cares about services, social, cultural, legal, and economic institutions, similar to those of developed countries around the world, through dialogue, understanding, and the search for a common ground.”
To do end, it is necessary to guarantee the "rule of law" and "civic responsibility”, while the constitution must "protect the rights and freedoms of all."
Finally, for the prelate, “Delaying the formation of a government does not benefit the country, so it is essential to accelerate" the process while safeguarding the common good.
What is needed is a government that “reflects the aspirations” of its people, that is "sovereign and decisive," capable of "restoring Iraq's well-being and prestige," that seeks to "implement justice, equality, and integrity, and is able to address failures and crises.”
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06/10/2008
01/05/2021 08:00
