Iraqi Foreign Minister Fawzi Hussein affirmed on Sunday his country's commitment to enhancing its participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations and developing cooperation with the international organization in the fields of training, capacity building, and exchange of expertise.
The Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported that Hussein discussed, during his meeting with Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix at the ministry headquarters in Baghdad, ways to strengthen cooperation between Iraq and the UN and develop Iraq's contribution to international peacekeeping operations.
Hussein highlighted the importance of moving to a new phase of partnership with the UN following the expiration of the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), which would enhance his country's role in supporting international peace and security.
For his part, the Iraqi minister expressed his country's interest in developing its participation in peacekeeping operations and leveraging its military and security expertise in combating terrorism and dealing with mines and war remnants, proposing the preparation of a joint roadmap and dispatching a UN technical team to Baghdad to assess capabilities and identify areas for cooperation, training, and capacity building.
He pointed out the importance of expanding the participation of Iraqi experts in UN missions and programs, and studying the possibility of developing an Iraqi training institution to become a regional center for exchanging expertise and training in fields related to peacekeeping operations.
The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq was established in 2003 under Security Council Resolution 1500. Its responsibilities included supporting political dialogue and national reconciliation, assisting in organizing elections, strengthening human rights and legal and judicial reform, facilitating regional dialogue, as well as coordinating UN efforts in relief, development, and reconstruction.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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