UNAMI Statement on the selection of the IHEC Board of Commissioners

Recalling some of the essential provisions in the Law of the Independent High Electoral Commission (Law No. 11 of 2007), such as Article 3 that requires that the Board of Commissioners “must have expertise and experience in elections and must be known for their competence, integrity and independence taking into consideration women representation” or Article 9 that further requires that “representation of the components of the Iraqi society shall be put into consideration in the formation of the Independent High Electoral Commission”, UNAMI would, inter alia, like to encourage the Council of Representatives to ensure the representation of women and minorities in the new IHEC Board of Commissioners. The representation of women and minorities is in line with relevant constitutional and electoral provisions and is consistent with Iraq’s international obligations. Furthermore, UNAMI believes that such inclusive IHEC Board of Commissioners will not only be responding to the aspirations of millions of Iraqis, but will also be an important step towards holding transparent and acceptable upcoming elections.



In accordance with its mandate, UNAMI stands ready to continue providing technical advice and support based on comparative global experiences on these important issues.