UN extends mission in Iraq until mid-2019
The United Nations (UN) voted to extend the mandate of its Iraq mission for until May 31, 2019, with changes aimed at increasing the efficiency of UN programs in the country.
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The United Nations (UN) voted to extend the mandate of its Iraq mission for until May 31, 2019, with changes aimed at increasing the efficiency of UN programs in the country.
According to a statement released by the UN Security Council, the body convened on Thursday to vote on the extension, and adopted "a streamlined text that would advance the Mission’s role in the Middle East nation’s post‑conflict reconstruction and reconciliation."
The motion passed unanimously and, according to times listed on the Security Council's website, the entire meeting lasted only seven minutes.
The UN in Iraq would "give priority to the provision of advice, support and assistance to the Government and people of Iraq on advancing inclusive political dialogue and national and community‑level reconciliation," read the statement.
Specifically, it continued, the mission would focus on assistance related to electoral processes, constitutional review, and regional dialogue as well as cooperation on matters including border security, energy, environment, water, and refugees.
The international agency "would also — among other things — promote, support and facilitate the coordination and delivery of humanitarian assistance and the safe, orderly and voluntary return of refugees and displaced persons, as well as the coordination and implementation of programmes to improve Iraq’s capacity to provide civil, social and essential services to its people."
The effort to collect, store and preserve evidence of acts that could amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide committed by the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq was mentioned as well.
The Security Council has primary responsibility at the UN for the maintenance of international peace and security. It is made up of five permanent member states (China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US) and ten non-permanent member states which serve two-year terms (currently, Bolivia, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Netherlands, Peru, Poland, and Sweden).
All UN member states are obligated to comply with Security Council decisions.