Security Council extends mandate of UN Iraq Mission for one year

The United Nations Security Council today adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) for another year, until 31 July 2017.

In the resolution, the Council also decided that, at the request of the Government of Iraq in particular, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for eth country, Ján Kubiš, and UNAMI will continue to exercise their mandate set out in Council resolution 2233 (2015).

Recognizing that security of UN personnel is essential for UNAMI to carry out its work for the benefit of the people of Iraq, the 15-member body also called on the Government of Iraq to continue to provide security and logistical support to the UN presence in Iraq.

In that vein, the Council welcomed the contributions of Member States in providing UNAMI with the financial, logistical and security resources and support that it needs to fulfil its mission, and called on Member States to continue to provide UNAMI with sufficient resources and support.

Emphasizing the importance of the stability and security of Iraq for the people of Iraq, the region, and the international community, the Council reiterated its “grave concern at the current security situation in Iraq as a result of the continuing presence of and threat by terrorist groups,” particularly the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) and associated armed groups.

The Council also noted that the presence of ISIL on Iraq's sovereign territory is a “major threat” to Iraq's future. In that regard, it underscored that the only way to address the threat is for all Iraqis to work together by addressing needs in the security as well as the political realm.

In addition, the Council strongly emphasized the urgency of addressing humanitarian challenges confronting the Iraqi people. It also emphasized that all parties should take all feasible steps to ensure the protection of affected civilians, including children, women and members of religious and ethnic minority groups, and should create conditions conducive to the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return of refugees and internally displaced persons or local integration of internally displaced persons, particularly in areas newly liberated from ISIL, including up to 90,000 people displaced from Fallujah since May.

The Council also requested Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to report to the Council every three months on the progress made by UNAMI in fulfilling all of its responsibilities.