At a Glance

• Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York.
• The discussion marked a transition into a post-UNAMI era following the scheduled conclusion of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq on December 31, 2025.
• Hussein conveyed the Prime Minister's gratitude for Guterres's tenure, while Guterres expressed deep pride in his historic relationship with Iraq and its civilization.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday in New York, expressing Iraq's appreciation for his tenure and the historic support provided by the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

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Key Statements and Focus Area

• The Foreign Minister “conveyed the greetings, thanks, and appreciation of the Prime Minister to the UN Secretary-General on the upcoming conclusion of his mandate.”
• The UN Secretary-General “expressed his deep pride in Iraq, its people, and its civilization, affirming his appreciation for the relations he built with Iraq during his tenure.”

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Fuad Hussein met with Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

The Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday that Hussein praised “his efforts during his tenure and his continuous support for Iraq and the cooperation between Iraq and the United Nations.”

Hussein expressed Iraq's gratitude for the pivotal role the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) has played since 2003 in supporting state institutions, while emphasizing the importance of sustained bilateral cooperation in the upcoming phase.

He also signed the Secretary-General's guestbook, expressing “his gratitude to Guterres for his service to Iraq and its people, and for his efforts to implement the purposes of the United Nations and strengthen its role in maintaining international peace and security.”

Guterres extended his gratitude to the government and people of Iraq for supporting his tenure at the United Nations, wishing the nation and its citizens "further progress and prosperity."

FYI

The relationship between Iraq and the United Nations underwent a foundational shift following the 2003 invasion. In August 2003, the UN Security Council established the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) under Resolution 1500. 

Initially tasked with supporting humanitarian coordination and political transitions, UNAMI's role grew to encompass constitutional drafting, electoral assistance, human rights monitoring, and facilitating national reconciliation.

The mission faced immense tragedy early on; on August 19, 2003, a devastating truck bomb targeted UN headquarters at the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, killing Special Representative Sérgio Vieira de Mello and 21 others. Despite this, UNAMI remained a fixture of Iraq's post-war state-building era.

By May 2024, reflecting Iraq's significant strides in political stability and sovereignty, the Iraqi government formally requested the UN to conclude UNAMI's mandate. 

The UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2732, initiating a phased transition that concludes the mission's operations by December 31, 2025.

Addressing the UN General Assembly yesterday, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi declared that the state will maintain a strict monopoly on weapons to ensure domestic stability. 

Al-Zaidi stressed that the end of the International Coalition's military mission allows Iraq to pivot its international relationships, adding that country is pivoting its post-coalition global relationships away from military defense toward long-term economic partnerships.

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