UNAMI head again calls for Kurdish unity

“And it pains me to say it, but so many people are wondering, what wake-up call are the parties waiting for?,” she asked.
UNAMI head Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert on Wednesday spoke at the 7th Sulaimani Forum at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani (AUIS) (Photo: UNAMI)
UNAMI head Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert on Wednesday spoke at the 7th Sulaimani Forum at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani (AUIS) (Photo: UNAMI)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UANMI), Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, during the 7th annual Sulaimani Forum said that infighting and “parties’ vested interests in the Kurdistan Region cannot be left unmentioned.”

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“Participating at an event at the University of Kurdistan (UKH) almost two years ago, I concluded my remarks by stating that the Kurdistan Region had a choice. It can unite, tackle systemic corruption, strengthen its respect for fundamental rights and freedoms, make meaningful progress on security and economic reform, and engage in dialogue despite internal differences that at times (I admit) seem insurmountable. Or, it can fail to put its house in order, risking all it had achieved during the past decades.”

She concluded her remarks at the 2021 event stressing the importance of compromise between the region’s Kurdish political factions, adding that “the seemingly bitter pill of a concession ultimately opens the door to lasting success.”

Today, “it pains me to say it, but so many people are wondering: what wake-up call are the parties waiting for?,” she asked.

Due to political disputes over amending the elections law last year, the ruling Kurdish parties could not hold parliamentary elections in October. Recently, however, the Kurdish political parties have reached an agreement on holding elections this year.

Moreover, Hennis-Plaschart on Wednesday warned that “efforts to combat Iraq’s systemic corruption need to go beyond individuals or events. The system that was built after 2003 is simply untenable. And if left as is, it will - yet again - backfire.”

She also said that “many outstanding issues between Baghdad and Erbil call for institutionalized relations. In the absence thereof, little will improve, but not all.”

The Iraqi cabinet approved a 3-year budget plan, which includes 12.67% of the federal budget to be allocated to the Kurdistan Region, and $307 million for civil servants. However, the parliament has to approve the new budget plan.

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Prime Minister Masrour Barzani met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia’ Al-Sudani in Erbil and praised the goodwill of the new Iraqi government.

Moreover, he noted that this is the first time that the Kurdistan region was included in negotiating the federal budget for the country.