UN Security Council Briefing Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq Dr. Mohamed Al Hassan

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 colleagues

The 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.