New york: UN resident coordinator for Iraq Ghulam Isaczai spoke about the transition from the long-running UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), to a partnership with national authorities anchored to development. Briefing journalists in New York, Isaczai said the UN's goal now is to 'support Iraq's socio-economic needs but also to reinforce a lot of the work that was done in the past two decades.'
According to Qatar News Agency, this new phase of cooperation will be guided by a five-year agreement for development signed with the Government of Iraq. Key areas of cooperation include improved access to education, health and social services; economic growth; environmental protection and climate action; and good governance and the rule of law.
To support the new cooperation agreement, Isaczai noted that there is indication Iraq will assist in financing its implementation. 'That shows increasing partnership and ownership by the Government of Iraq to become a donor after being a recipient for many years of humanitarian and development aid,' he added.
Isaczai said that the country has changed in the past two decades, and now it has "increased confidence in its institutions and is moving towards greater stability." He also said that Iraq has seen a reduction in poverty from 20 per cent in 2018 to 17.5 per cent in 2024-2025 and that preliminary reports suggest the country now ranks high on the Human Development Index, which measures life expectancy, education and standard of living.
Finally, he noted an 'important milestone' when the country held parliamentary elections last year.