Iraq takes over UN compound in Baghdad as mission concludes

Iraq on Saturday took over the United Nations Integrated Compound in Baghdad as the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) concluded its mandate at the end of 2025.



A statement by the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said the handover document was signed by Iraqi Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammed Hussein Bahr Al-Uloom and Claudio Cordoni, the deputy special representative of the U.N. secretary-general.



Both sides emphasized that the mission's closure marks a new phase of development partnership, led by the UN country team in alignment with Iraq's national priorities, the statement said, adding that Bahr Al-Uloom praised UNAMI's two-decade contribution to Iraq's stability and development.



The handover followed a high-level ceremony on Dec. 13, 2025, at which Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres marked the end of UNAMI's mandate, signaling a shift from crisis management to long-term development.



UNAMI was mandated by the UN Security Council in 2003 at the request of the Iraqi government following a U.S.-led invasion to advise and assist the government. Its operations ended after a final 19-month mandate extension approved in May 2024.