The UN Security Council on Thursday adopted a resolution to renew the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) for a year, till May 27, 2022.
Resolution 2576, which won the unanimous support of the 15 members of the council, also decides that UNAMI and the UN secretary-general’s special representative in Iraq shall provide a strengthened, robust and visible UN team, with additional staff, in advance of Iraq’s forthcoming elections, in order to monitor Iraq’s election day with as broad a geographic coverage as possible and to continue to assist with the elections.
UNAMI and the special representative shall engage, encourage, and coordinate with, and provide logistical and security support to international and regional third-party observers invited by the Iraqi government, says the resolution.
It requests the secretary-general to provide a detailed summary report to the Security Council on Iraq’s electoral process and UNAMI’s assistance to that process, no later than 30 days after the conclusion of the elections.
It further requests UNAMI and the special representative to prioritize 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.
UNAMI and the special representative are also requested to promote, support, and facilitate the coordination and delivery of humanitarian and medical assistance, notably to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the safe, timely, orderly, voluntary and dignified return or local integration of refugees and displaced persons.
UNAMI is a political mission established by the Security Council in 2003 at the request of the Iraqi government in the wake of the invasion of Iraq by a U.S.-led coalition.