Strategic Communications and Public Information Office

The Strategic Communications and Public Information Office (SCPIO) of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) provides strategic advice and technical support to the Mission and UN in Iraq Leadership; plans and implements communications activities and campaigns aimed at informing Iraqi society and external and internal stakeholders about the role of UNAMI and the United Nations in the country and to strengthen the understanding of Iraq within the United Nations. More specifically, SCPIO promotes and advocates with the media and the public at large for the effective implementation of the Mission’s mandate. In addition, SCPIO engages with the local, national and international media as well as individual journalists, social media influencers, media offices of government departments and accredited embassies to build constructive collaboration with these entities for the purpose of enhancing the Mission's outreach and explaining its work and position on certain issues.

The Strategic Communications and Public Information Office leads Mission’s public information and outreach activities in Iraq, and supports the substantive UNAMI sections as well as the United Nations Country Team members in their outreach activities. To reach its target audiences (the Iraqi population and media, the Iraqi authorities, the international media, donor countries and United Nations staff), the UNAMI SCPIO uses the capacity of the Spokesperson, media relations, media monitoring and analysis, in-house multimedia productions and coverage (video and photography), digital media, outreach, publications and the UN Iraq website. SCPIO engages in media relations, influencers, youth groups, journalists and implements advocacy campaigns.

SCPIO consolidates the presence of UNAMI in the digital media sphere in English as well as Iraq’s two main languages (Arabic and Kurdish) through a web portal and social media platforms including X (formerly Twitter), Meta-Facebook, Meta-Instagram, YouTube and Flickr, implementing a digital media strategy to reach a large and diverse audience.

As co-chair of the UN Communication Group in Iraq, the Strategic Communications Group, and running its Secretariat, the SCPIO supports the creation and the implementation of country-wide campaigns involving UNAMI, UN agencies, funds and programmes to promote the activities of all UN entities in Iraq in a “One UN” approach. SCPIO provides strategic communications advice to the UNCT and UNITAD, at their request, including in organizing media engagements, press conferences, assisting in editing, translating and disseminating of products.

SCPIO also works with human rights and other relevant UN and international organizations as well as with social media platforms to address the issue of mis/disinformation, hate speech and incitement to violence.

The Strategic Communications and Public Information Office is headed by a Director, who is also the Mission’s Spokesperson, supported by a Deputy Director/Deputy Spokesperson, and 18 international and national staff.

In addition to its Baghdad headquarters, SCPIO staff are deployed to Erbil and Kirkuk.

More information on activities of UNAMI can be found at:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnitedNationsIraq

X [formerly Twitter]: https://twitter.com/UNIraq

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UN_Iraq

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unami_iraq/

Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/uniraq/