Ex-diplomat criticizes UN briefing for ignoring Iraq’s crises
Shafaq News/ The latest UN Security Council briefing on Iraq glossed over deep political and security challenges and emphasized superficial gains, former Iraqi diplomat Ghazi Faisal said on Wednesday.
The Council convened on Tuesday at 5:00 PM Baghdad time (10:00 AM New York), with UN Special Representative Mohamed Al Hassan delivering an update on recent developments and the status of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). Established in 2003 under Resolution 1500 following the US-led invasion, UNAMI has since expanded its mandate to include political mediation, election oversight, and humanitarian coordination.
Speaking to Shafaq News, Faisal, who heads the Iraqi Center for Strategic Studies, argued that Al Hassan's remarks leaned heavily on optimistic developments while ignoring the structural crises that continue to destabilize Iraq. He suggested the upbeat tone may be intended to ease UNAMI’s exit by late 2025 without jeopardizing relations with Baghdad.
He contrasted Al Hassan’s approach with that of former UNAMI heads Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and Ján Kubiš, who had more openly flagged militant threats, law enforcement breakdowns, forced displacement, and electoral fraud—particularly in 2018.
“Al Hassan focused on electoral transitions, but who’s ensuring voter protection and transparency?”
Faisal also raised alarm over reports of voter ID cards being sold for up to 500,000 Iraqi dinars (about $354), despite the Independent High Electoral Commission’s insistence that only registered cardholders can vote in the 11 November elections, warning, “If vote buying, military pressure, and partisan influence on state employees persist, it will undermine democratic legitimacy.”
While Al Hassan portrayed elections as a peaceful tool for reform, Faisal expressed doubt. “Fair elections could shift the political landscape—but just as likely, we’ll see fraud, coercion, and the recycling of the same ruling elite entrenched since 2003.”
