Iraq is preparing to bid farewell to the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) after more than two decades of complex diplomatic and humanitarian work—a development considered one of the most sensitive shifts in Iraq’s relationship with the international community since 2003.

This comes in tandem with the arrival of UN Secretary-General António Guterres in Baghdad to attend the official ceremony marking the end of UNAMI’s mandate in Iraq.

While the Iraqi government moves forward with plans to conclude the mission by the end of 2025, concerns are mounting over a potential “humanitarian and political vacuum” that this decision might leave behind. Experts warn the move was made hastily and under public pressure rather than based on a thorough assessment of the current situation.

UNAMI, a special political mission, was established in 2003 under UN Security Council Resolution 1500 at the request of the Iraqi government.

On May 21, 2024, outgoing Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani formally requested in a letter to Secretary-General Guterres that the mission’s mandate be terminated by December 31, 2025. Until then, its efforts will be limited to finalizing work in areas such as economic reform, service delivery, sustainable development, climate change, and other developmental priorities.