UNAMI Website, Baghdad, 28 Oct 2013 – The United Nations in Iraq today marked the United Nations Day, which is celebrated worldwide on 24 October of each year, the day that saw the UN Charter enter into force in 1945.
The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq (SRSG), Mr. Nickolay Mladenov used the opportunity to call on the political leaders of Iraq to address the root causes of division, exclusion and poverty and to build an inclusive society that does not fear, but celebrates ethnic and religious diversity.
He spoke of the areas where Iraq has seen notable gains, but also focused on the many challenges that remain. “Today Iraq is riven by constant and worsening violence and the prospect of deepening sectarianism casts a dark shadow over the country” Mladenov noted, adding that the social and security challenges “threaten the very fabric of Iraqi society and test the extent of the nation’s social cohesion”.
He highlighted that reversing the cycle of violence requires “improving governance in ways that give all citizens equal access to security, justice, employment and essential services”.
The SRSG praised the Government for putting forward a National Development Plan adding that “if effectively implemented, it will play a significant role in building social cohesion and the legitimacy of the state”. Mr Mladenov announced that the United Nations is preparing its own response to the Plan and will provide technical and other expertise to support its implementation.
The ceremony was attended by Deputy Prime Minister, Dr. Husayn Shahristani; Foreign Minister Mr. Hoshyar Zibari; Minister of Science and Technology, Mr. Abdul-Karim Yasin Al-Samarra’i; Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Mr. Safa al-Din Al-Safi; members of the Council of Representatives; governors of Babel, Salahuddine, and Diwaniya; as well as senior officials from the Interior, Planning and Foreign ministries, civil society representatives, the diplomatic corps in Baghdad, and United Nations staff.