ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), Mohamed al-Hassan, commended Iraq for successfully distancing itself from regional conflicts, and praised Iraqi and Kurdish leaders for making this possible.
"I say frankly, what the Iraqi government has done and its handling of the crises the region is going through has been extremely successful. It has distanced many disputes and conflicts from Iraq, and distanced Iraq from these conflicts,” Hassan told Rudaw's Bestoon Talk show that aired on Thursday.
He thanked Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, and the leader of the Kurdistan Region's ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) Masoud Barzani for dealing "calmly and professionally with many challenges to distance Iraq from any negative effects that may come."
When Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, an ally of Iraq, was ousted by a group of rebel groups in December, Baghdad said it would take a neutral stance and avoid becoming involved in tensions across the border.
When Israel attacked Lebanon late last year, Iraq only provided humanitarian support. Additionally, since the start of the war between Israel and Palestinian Hamas in October 2023, Iraq has supported Gazans through statements and humanitarian aid.
KRG formation
The Kurdistan Region held delayed parliamentary elections in October. The KDP emerged as the leading party with 39 seats in the 100-member legislature, followed by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) with 23 seats. As no single party won a majority, a governing coalition will need to be formed, as has traditionally been the case. Despite positive statements from both ruling parties and ongoing talks, no final agreement has been reached yet.
Hassan said that they are not worried about the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) formation process because "I think the two parties are skilled and have a large common ground."
"There may be a delay in forming the government because they want the best for Kurdistan. So they gave themselves time to be precise and do the best thing for the people of Kurdistan,” he added.
Top officials from the KDP and PUK met on Monday in the Dukan district of Sulaimani province to discuss cabinet positions. However, no final agreement was reached on the allocation of key government posts.
The KDP delegation was led by Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, who also serves as the party’s deputy head. The PUK delegation was headed by party leader Bafel Talabani and included Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, a senior PUK figure.
ISIS threat
In June 2014, the Islamic State (ISIS) seized control of large swathes of territory in Iraq’s north and west. The group was territorially defeated in the country in 2017 but continues its hit-and-run attacks and has exploited security gaps between Iraqi and Kurdish forces in areas disputed between Baghdad and Erbil.
Asked about the possibility of an ISIS-like threat in the future, the UNAMI chief said Iraq can prevent this by creating internal unity.
"The most important thing is to fortify your internal front: internal stability, respect for diversity, respect for human rights for all components, including women and minorities, and making the Iraqi citizen feel that he is an essential part of Iraq. This is what fortifies your internal front. Any challenge you can stand before with all steadfastness through a united front," he said.
"Iraq today is homogeneous and harmonious with itself, and the decision is in the hands of decision-makers," he added.
Future of UNAMI
The UNAMI mission will end on December 31, 2025. Sudani made the request in May last year through a letter submitted to the UN secretary-general and Security Council.
"UNAMI is approaching the end, and that is based on the request of the Iraqi government. They believe that UNAMI's mission has ended, but they are very insistent on continuing relations with the United Nations and all its agencies after 2025," Hassan told the audience who are invited to ask questions to influential guests on Bestoon Talk.
"Many changes have occurred. A few years ago, it was not possible to hold this meeting, and these questions from these young people freely through this meeting, would not have been asked. So Iraq is progressing, to be a better country, more stable, more prosperous, and more democratic," he added.
