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STORY: UN / IRAQ MISSION UNAMI CLOSING
TRT: 3:42
SOURCE: UN NEWS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: RECORDED 05 DECEMBER 2025, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
1.Wide shot, Head of the United Nations Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), Mohamed Al Hassan, speaking at the interview
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Mohamed Al Hassan, Head of the United Nations Mission in Iraq (UNAMI):
“When this United Nations assistance mission for Iraq started in2003, Iraq used to be a very different place than today. Thank God, with the help of the Iraqis, the sacrifices of the Iraqis first and foremost, and the support of the international community, in particular the United Nations. Iraq believes they are ready to move to another phase of development of solidifying their own sovereignty and territorial integrity. I wholeheartedly, even personally believe that Iraq is ready for that. But they have to show us the zeal on the part of the Iraqis that they can take things into their hands in the most proper, peaceful and dignified manner.”
3.Wide shot, Head of the United Nations Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), Mohamed Al Hassan, speaking at the interview
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Mohamed Al Hassan, Head of the United Nations Mission in Iraq (UNAMI):
“We managed to help the Iraqis with the help of the international community and the coalition to defeat Daesh. That's a big entitlement to tell you the truth. Without the help of the United Nations and the international community, the Iraqis will have no way to defeat Daesh.”
5.Wide shot, Head of the United Nations Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), Mohamed Al Hassan, speaking at the interview
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Mohamed Al Hassan, Head of the United Nations Mission in Iraq (UNAMI):
“My hope is that for a country that will become a member of the Human Rights Council, they have to act as such. And this has been the message, even my message before the Security Council to the Iraqis. They need to work on preventing child marriages. They need to protect the rights of minorities. They need to be also taking measures to prevent the abuse and the attack on women.”
7.Wide shot, Head of the United Nations Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), Mohamed Al Hassan, speaking at the interview
8.SOUNDBITE (English) Mohamed Al Hassan, Head of the United Nations Mission in Iraq (UNAMI):
“What's going to remain in Iraq? All the specialized agencies of the United Nations, UNICEF, WHO, Migration, Human Rights, you name it, all of them were UNDP. Even new offices are opening for the World Bank and the IMF in Iraq.”
9.Wide shot, Head of the United Nations Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), Mohamed Al Hassan, speaking at the interview
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Mohamed Al Hassan, Head of the United Nations Mission in Iraq (UNAMI):
“I hope they will have the time and the resources by and the support of the Iraqi government and the international community to go back to their homes they were lifted from, especially in Senjar. It's about time.”
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Mohamed Al Hassan, Head of the United Nations Mission in Iraq (UNAMI):
“Iraq is certainly a success story, and that's not my words. These are the words of members of the Security Council who represent the international community. It's a very unique country within a very turbulent Middle East. Let that project succeed. Let them stand with the people and the leadership of Iraq. Iraqis today are not Iraqis pre-2003. They're longing to interact with the international community. As I said, they're also not looking for charities. They're a very proud nation. It's a country that could really become a model for the Middle East and that could be emulated.”
12.Wide shot, Head of the United Nations Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), Mohamed Al Hassan, speaking at the interview
The head of the United Nations Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), Mohamed Al Hassan said “Iraq is a success story, and could become a model for the Middle East.”
Speaking at an interview, the UNAMI chief explained that the Mission will be closing at the end of 2025 after more than two decades serving the country. “Iraq believes it is now ready to move to another phase of development of solidifying their own sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Al Hassan said.
The head of UNAMI also highlighted several achievements of the UN mission, including helping to improve security in Iraq, assisting in the defeat of the terrorist group Daesh, supporting free and fair elections, and promoting the full and comprehensive respect of human rights.
He said, “We managed to help the Iraqis with the help of the international community and the coalition to defeat Daesh. That's a big entitlement to tell you the truth. Without the help of the United Nations and the international community, the Iraqis will have no way to defeat Daesh.”
On human rights, Al Hassan said, “My hope is that for a country that will become a member of the Human Rights Council, they have to act as such. And this has been the message, even my message before the Security Council to the Iraqis. They need to work on preventing child marriages. They need to protect the rights of minorities. They need to be also taking measures to prevent the abuse and the attack on women.”
The Mission’s chief reaffirmed that all the United Nations specialized agencies will stay in Iraq.
The top UN official in Iraq also acknowledged that there is still work to be done, such as addressing issues like child marriage, protecting minority rights, ending abuse against women and supporting internally displaced persons, especially the Yazidi community.
Al Hassan said, “I hope they will have the time and the resources by and the support of the Iraqi government and the international community to go back to their homes they were lifted from, especially in Senjar. It's about time.”
The UNAMI chief concluded, “Iraqis today are not Iraqis pre-2003. They're longing to interact with the international community,” adding that “they're a very proud nation. It's a country that could really become a model for the Middle East and that could be emulated.”
