Politics

UNAMI chief hopeful about intra-Kurdish progress on elections

Due to political wrangling on amending the elections law, the Kurdistan Region’s parties could not hold the elections that were supposed to take place in October last year.

Kurdistan 24 2023/03/09 13:15

the Head of the United Nations Iraq mission Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert (R) attending the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership in Sweimeh by the Dead Sea shore in central-west Jordan, Dec. 20, 2022. (Photo: Jordanian Royal Pala

Kurdistan Kurdistan Region Iraq UNAMI Elections

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The head of the United Nations Mission in Iraq is optimistic about the Kurdish parties overcoming their differences with respect to holding the sixth parliamentary elections.

The head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UANMI), Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, spoke to Kurdistan 24 during the 15th Erbil International Book Fair.

“We have been trying everything to make the parties come together on the outstanding electoral issues [and] I am hopeful that solutions will be found soon,” the UN official said.

Due to political wrangling on amending the elections law, the Kurdistan Region’s parties could not hold the elections that were supposed to take place in October last year.

Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Wednesday said the delay was due to “some parties and entities” not wanting the elections to move forward.

“Now there is no excuse to further delay it,” Barzani said.

Regarding the outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad, the UN official said there have been “genuine commitments to make things work” from both sides.

During his visit to the Kurdish region last week, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he “encouraged” the parties to hold the parliamentary elections this year.