Mosul, Iraq- December 2025 - For many in Iraq, access to decent work remains a challenge. At 40 years old, Yousif Ayed Saleh faced this reality first-hand. Living in Hay Al-Tanak, Mosul, with his parents, wife, six children, and two brothers-in-law with disabilities, and carrying the responsibility of providing for a family of ten, he relied on daily-wage jobs—often physically demanding and unstable—to support his household. Over time, these strenuous tasks led to a severe back injury, forcing him to stop working and putting his family’s well-being at risk.  “I was unemployed and worried about how to meet my family’s essential needs,” Yousif recalls. “It was a very stressful time.” His story reflects a broader challenge in Iraq, where unemployment affects 14% of the working-age population and reaches 32% among youth, according to the 2024 national census. This is one of the reasons why UN-Habitat integrates livelihood opportunities into its housing initiatives, ensuring solutions are sustainable and human-centred. Through the Japan Village project in Mosul—funded by the Government of Japan and Japanese private entities, and implemented in partnership with Peace Winds Japan—UN-Habitat integrates housing solutions with skills development. The initiative trains local residents in construction-related trades, enabling them to help rebuild their communities while securing sustainable employment. In 2025 alone, 100 young men and women completed training in these trades, gaining valuable skills and jobs while contributing to the recovery of the Rajm Hadeed neighbourhood, which is planned as a residential area for returnees under Mosul’s City Master Plan.  Yousif joined the programme’s electrical workshop, where he learnt the foundations of electrical installation and maintenance—skills he had never had the chance to study before—and is now applying his new skills on-site:  “I feel proud to finally have a profession in electrical work,” Yousif shared. “This job helps me support my family and gives me the chance to serve my community by helping build safe housing for returnees.”  Beyond technical training, the programme was also a source of confidence and stability. Yousif notes that the opportunity has improved his financial security and overall well-being, motivating him to continue learning and growing in the field.  “To consider myself both financially and emotionally stable brings me happiness and relief. This opportunity gave me hope and motivation to keep improving my skills.”  Hay Al-Tanak, Yousif’s neighbourhood, was heavily affected by conflict with ISIL. Even after ten years of liberation, recovery efforts remain pressing, requiring both investment and skilled labour. Today, projects like Japan Village are helping communities recover by combining housing solutions with capacity building—contributing to development for a better and more sustainable urban future.  Yousif’s message to others is clear: “Take any opportunity to learn and work, even if it’s a skill you can practise from home. It can change your life.”  He extends his gratitude to UN-Habitat, the Government of Japan, and Peace Winds Japan for providing an opportunity that improved his family’s standard of living and restored his sense of purpose and hope in the future.    

Madam. President,Distinguished representatives of Council members, Allow me to begin this briefing ahead of the conclusion of UNAMI’s mandate on 31 December by thanking the members of this esteemed Council for their invaluable support and guidance over the years. I would like to express my profound gratitude to the Government of Iraq for hosting and being a partner to UNAMI since the Mission first began 22 years ago. I also wish to take this opportunity to thank both Iraq and Kuwait, present here today, for their cooperation and support in the implementation of UNAMI’s long-running mandate. Today, indeed is a great day for the international community to witness an honourable and dignified closure of a UN mission. Madam President,On the occasion of this final briefing, let us cast our minds back to 2003, when this Council established UNAMI in a country grappling with the effects of decades of dictatorship, regional wars, internal conflicts, foreign occupation, and the terror of Da’esh. The road to peace, security and stability was long and difficult. However, with the support of the international community Iraq came out victorious, but with untold sacrifices. It is fitting that, today, we honor the memory of all those who lost their lives since UNAMI first began operating in Iraq. This includes the 22 United Nations personnel who paid the ultimate price in the Canal Hotel bombing of 2003. I wish to take this opportunity to pay tribute to them, including our late colleague Sérgio Vieira de Mello, and to those who survived this terrorist act but with lasting scars.My predecessors and I have been struck by the resilience and steadfastness of Iraq and its people as they worked resolutely to build a more secure and prosperous future. From the adoption of a new Constitution, to the strengthening and consolidation of democracy through thirteen successful electoral processes, Iraq was able to incrementally consolidate hard-won gains against the odds. Indeed, to the credit of Iraq’s people and leaders, the country has just held its sixth parliamentary elections on 11 November, marked by a notable increase in turnout of registered voters (56%), and by being one of the most free, orderly and credible elections to be conducted in Iraq so far. I take this opportunity to congratulate the Iraqi people, including the Independent High Electoral Commission, and UNAMI, through its Electoral Assistance Office, for the service provided to Iraq during these elections. I can hardly think of a more fitting final chapter to UNAMI’s activities than the scenes witnessed by myself and my team at polling stations across the country, as Iraqis from diverse backgrounds lined up in orderly queues, eager to cast their ballots.While I express confidence that Iraq will continue to build upon this solid electoral foundation, I fervently hope that a new Government will be formed without delay. I would be remiss not to note that the formation of a new Kurdistan Regional Government remains pending after over a year of protracted negotiations. The formation of the federal as well as the regional governments in Iraq present opportunities to strengthen the Baghdad-Erbil relationship and to address and resolve relevant outstanding issues including on the disputed territories. The Baghdad-Erbil relationship is a crucial partnership that requires cooperation and a more open dialogue on the basis of the Iraqi Constitution.Iraq certainly has overcome successive conflicts on a hard-won path to stability. Nevertheless, the lasting effects of conflict have given rise to dire and persisting humanitarian needs, with about one million Iraqis remaining internally displaced and that’s a big number. Their full voluntary return and reintegration is still beset by economic, social, security and administrative challenges. Among them are over 100,000 predominantly Yazidis from Sinjar who after 11 years still live in displacement camps under precarious conditions—survivors who have endured untold suffering at the hands of Da’esh.I note with concern that departures from displacement camps have slowed significantly in 2025. These communities require targeted interventions that bridge humanitarian support with long-term development programming—housing, livelihoods, social protection, and community reconciliation. I therefore renew my call for the adoption of a comprehensive national plan to ensure the implementation of durable solutions.I am also deeply concerned about the attacks on Iraqi facilities and infrastructures including the most recent one that took place against oil and gas facilities in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. This has to stop and those responsible must be brought to justice. Madam President,Iraq showed commendable leadership in launching a concerted effort early this year to accelerate the repatriation of its nationals from northeast Syria. To date, approximately 20,800 people have returned to Iraq—no small feat, by any measure. As returns continue, last one taking place just yesterday, it remains essential for adequate resources to be directed toward ensuring dignified and sustainable reintegration, including reliable access to basic services, livelihoods, and community-level support. Having met with displaced Iraqis and heard of their plight first-hand, I am heartened by the Government’s continued commitment—reiterated during the High-Level International Conference on Repatriation held in New York last September —to complete the return of all Iraqi nationals from northeastern Syria by the end of this year.As I congratulate Iraq on its election as a member of the Human Rights Council, I would like to note that this membership comes with a corresponding responsibility to uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights. Many challenges remain in this respect, notably for ensuring full protection and fulfillment of the rights of minorities, women and youth, and continuing to uphold freedom of expression as a cornerstone of open public dialogue in a strong democratic society. This also includes respect of the rights of girls and refraining from underage marriages. I am confident that Iraq’s leaders (including religious leaders) will continue to address these issues as the country moves into a new chapter of partnership with the United Nations.Turning to matters concerning Iraq and Kuwait, we look forward to transferring the mandate on missing Kuwaiti and third-country nationals and missing property, including the national archives, from UNAMI to a Senior Representative as decided by this august Council. While some progress was marked few years back, more than 300 persons, most of them Kuwaitis, remain missing, as are the national archives. I hope that with the new Senior Representative mechanism in place, both Iraq and Kuwait will renew efforts to advance the closure of these files. I encourage both Iraq and Kuwait to maintain strong relations based on the principles of good-neighborliness, respect for the United Nations Charter and international law, as well as the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of states. The meetings held in July and September, and just few days ago in November, by the joint Kuwait-Iraq technical and legal committee to delimit the maritime boundary beyond point 162 are welcome indicators, in this regard. However, they have to lead to practical and concrete results, in the interest of both countries. Let me say, once again, I do not see any reason whatsoever why Iraq and Kuwait should not enjoy the best relations. Regaining eroded trust requires concrete steps not to repeat mistakes of the past. Madam President, dear colleaguesThe start of next year opens a new chapter in Iraq’s long-standing and deep-rooted partnership with the United Nations. UNAMI’s departure does not mark an end to the Iraq-UN partnership. Rather, it represents the start of a new chapter rooted in Iraq’s leadership of its own future. The United Nations will continue standing by Iraq to build on its hard-won gains, through the provision of technical expertise, advice and programmatic support by the UN Country Team on matters such as inclusive economic growth, climate resilience, human rights, displacement and the full and meaningful participation of women, youth and minorities.In closing, Madam President, dear colleagues, distinguished members of this esteemed council, let me say that it has been a distinct pleasure serving the people of Iraq and leading UNAMI. I wish to reaffirm my full confidence in the resilience of the Iraqi people and the determination of their leaders to tackle whatever challenges which may lie ahead, as they have so commendably done over the last twenty years. I call on them to strive to build bridges of trust and friendship, promote common interests with all the neighboring countries and to regain the glory of Iraq as the cradle of civilization. I wish to thank all the staff of UNAMI who served with commitment and dedication throughout the Mission’s mandate and made possible its implementation. I also extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Fijian and Nepalese United Nations Guard Units for their unwavering commitment and exemplary service that have been invaluable to our mission.Lastly, I would like to thank Member States and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. António Guterres, for the confidence they have placed in me to carry out this task expressing my aspiration to serve the noble principles of this Organization.Thank you very much.

This morning, we had the honor of visiting a number of polling centers in Baghdad, and in the evening, I will also visit a number of polling centers in Basra. UNAMI officials will be deployed to all Iraqi governorates to view and follow up on the progress of the voting process in polling centers. I am pleased to see this turnout of voters, and the good organization demonstrated by the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC). What I have seen today is evidence of the great efforts made by the Commission to ensure the technical and administrative readiness to hold orderly parliamentary elections.Today, is a democratic milestone in which the Iraqi people celebrate the exercise of their constitutionally guaranteed right to choose their representatives freely, responsibly and honestly, in a scene that embodies their free will and their adherence to the democratic choice towards building a more secure, stable and prosperous future, in order to build an Iraq for all, an Iraq of pride and dignity. It is a day in which Iraqis reaffirm that the voice of the citizen is the source of legitimacy, and that conscious and responsible participation is the basis for consolidating democracy and strengthening trust in institutions, where there is no space for corruption, and no place for nepotism. It is the time for an Iraq free of negative phenomena.For more than two decades, UNAMI has successfully contributed to the organization of several national elections (thirteen electoral processes), in accordance with international standards. What we are witnessing today is the fruit of this long process of cooperation, and a testament to the considerable progress that Iraq has made in developing its electoral and democratic institutions. We are satisfied with the electoral process currently under way. The important thing is that with God's help, this electoral process is conducted, managed and implemented by Iraqis. It is the fruit of years of institutional and professional development.The success of the elections requires a spirit of political responsibility and honesty by all parties concerned – parties, candidates and voters. We are confident that all political (and non-political) parties will maintain a calm and orderly atmosphere that respects the electoral process and respects Iraqi citizens and their will. We also stress the importance of respecting the procedures adopted by IHEC and the judicial mechanisms for the consideration of complaints, appeals and other related matters, as part of the democratic process. The people of Iraq deserve appreciation for the awareness and responsibility they showed on this remarkable election day, during which Iraqis express their independent will in a stable and secure atmosphere, reflecting their political maturity and belief in the democratic path.The United Nations Stands by Iraq – as it always did – and supports its path towards a more secure, stable and prosperous future, where every citizen can make his voice heard and achieve his ambitions and aspirations with freedom, responsibility and honesty. In conclusion, I would like to reiterate our pride in what the people of Iraq have done: this is your country, this is your future. We call on you to preserve, safeguard and cherish it. We also encourage you to chart a bright future for future generations.Thank you.

Over sixty young innovators, including many talented young women, gathered at the American University of Iraq – Baghdad (AUIB) for the Green Iraqi Innovators Conference and Competition. The event was co-organized by the UN Youth Advisory Council (UNYAC) and the Green Club at AUIB, in collaboration with the United Nations in Iraq and coordinated by the Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO).Representing the UN Resident Coordinator, Ms. Hind Jalal, UNFPA Representative in Iraq, delivered remarks on behalf of Mr. Ghulam M. Isaczai, highlighting the creativity and determination of Iraq’s youth — and the importance of giving equal opportunities to young women and men to drive sustainable change. She noted that the path toward a greener Iraq cannot be separated from the country’s broader development challenges. Despite progress, many young Iraqis continue to face barriers to employment, with youth unemployment exceeding 31 percent, and young women particularly affected, at around 40 percent. Addressing these gaps, she said, is essential to unlocking Iraq’s full potential. “Iraq’s future lies not only in its rich history and natural resources, but in the boundless creativity and determination of its young people,” Ms. Jalal emphasized.The event featured a panel discussion on “The Future of Green Innovation in Iraq” with experts from the UN, academia, and the private sector, followed by a youth competition where six teams presented practical ideas on renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, waste management, and digital innovation. Judges from FAO, the Iraq Green Building Council, and the Center for Climate Change, Water Security and Environmental Sustainability selected the winning projects.Three projects stood out for their creativity, scientific depth, and potential impact:1. Fuel and Lead – by Yaqoob and Arwa
A research-based project assessing the health and environmental impact of lead in fuel through field sampling and community awareness campaigns, calling for stricter fuel regulations and public education to reduce pollution and protect children’s health.2. ABZU Project – by Ameer Saad
An innovative dual-purpose system that generates clean electricity while purifying water, designed to be low-cost, scalable, and environmentally sustainable.3. Climate Change Consultant Internship (CCCI) – by Qaysar AlwardiA six-month training programme creating Iraq’s first generation of climate consultants through scientific sessions, fieldwork, and partnerships with green companies.The atmosphere was filled with energy and optimism as participants showcased innovative solutions to some of Iraq’s most pressing environmental challenges, ranging from renewable energy and waste recycling to sustainable construction and green technology.Ms. Hind Jalal commended the enthusiasm and creativity of the young participants, noting how both young women and men are taking ownership of Iraq’s green future and finding smart, practical ways to protect the environment. She emphasized that Iraq’s youth are not waiting for solutions — they are creating them.Organized under the theme “Youth for a Sustainable Iraq”, the conference provided a platform for participants to share ideas, network with mentors, and explore opportunities to advance climate action and innovation in their communities.The Green Iraqi Innovators Conference is part of the UN’s ongoing efforts, coordinated by the RCO, to promote youth participation, women’s empowerment, and sustainable development in Iraq.Congratulations to all participants and the winning team for their passion and innovative spirit in building a greener, more inclusive Iraq.