“For those who lived through the turbulent first years of the transition, Iraq today is unrecognizable and extraordinary,” he said.
Reduced poverty
Isaczai highlighted that the country that was devastated by war after the 2003 invasion has now increased confidence in its institutions and is moving towards greater stability.
He said Iraq has seen a reduction in poverty from 20 percent in 2018 to 17.5 percent in 2024-2025 and that preliminary reports suggest the country now ranks highly on the Human Development Index, which measures life expectancy, education and living standards.
Furthermore, an improved security environment has allowed five million internally displaced persons (IDPs) to return to their homes, while those who remain in the camps do so mainly for housing or civil identification reasons.
Finally, he highlighted an “important milestone” when the country held parliamentary elections last year with a voter turnout of 56 percent – an increase of 12 percent from the previous national vote – and about a third of the candidates were women.
Ghulam Isaczai, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, briefs journalists on the situation in the country.
Cooperation focused on development
UNAMI was created in 2003 to assist Iraq during its political transition after the fall of Saddam Hussein and the turmoil that followed, which culminated in the occupation of parts of the country by the terrorist group ISIL, which was finally defeated in December 2017.
The mission ended its mandate on December 31, 2025, but the UN will continue its involvement in the country under the leadership of Mr. Isaczai.
This new phase of cooperation will be guided by a five-year development agreement signed with the Government of Iraq on 25 December.
The agreement provides a roadmap to support Iraq’s national priorities, including education, health, economic growth, environmental protection and good governance.
Isaczai said the U.N.’s current goal is “to support Iraq’s socioeconomic needs, but also to reinforce much of the work that has been done over the past two decades.”
From recipient to donor
To support the new cooperation agreement, Isaczai noted that there are indications that Iraq will help finance its implementation.
“This demonstrates a growing partnership and ownership by the Government of Iraq to become a donor after having been a recipient for many years of humanitarian and development aid,” he said.
The United Nations country team in Iraq is currently comprised of 26 United Nations agencies, funds and programmes.