UN approves expanded Iraq role

The UN security council unanimously approved a resolution on Aug. 10 calling on the organization to play an increased role in uniting Iraq. The resolution, which was requested by the Iraq government and is backed by the US and Britain, authorizes the UN to help promote political talks among the country's ethnic and religious groups, as well as a regional dialogue on border security, energy, refugees and other issues. The UN would also be tasked with assisting the return of millions who have fled the violence, coordinating reconstruction and aid, and helping promote economic reform. The organization currently has a small mission of about 50 staff in Iraq that has helped to organize elections, promote national dialogue and develop institutions for representative government. Its current mandate expires today. The US has been pushing the UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, to boost the organization's role in Iraq to complement its military "surge" strategy, which began in February. Ban has said he would consider it but is worried about putting UN personnel in a dangerous environment. Kofi Annan, the former UN secretary general, pulled all UN international staff out of Iraq in October 2003, after two bombings at its headquarters in Baghdad and attacks on humanitarian workers. The first bombing, on Aug. 19, 2003, killed the top UN envoy, Sergio Vieira de Mello, and 21 others. In August 2004, Annan allowed a small UN contingent to return to Baghdad and imposed a limit of 35 international staff. Numbers have steadily increased but remain relatively low because of poor security. In a report to the council in June, Ban said the UN was a major promoter of efforts to build a united, democratic Iraq, but that "the security situation in Iraq remains complex and unpredictable and is a major limiting factor for the UN presence and activities in Iraq". The UN staff union this week said the organization should withdraw all of its workers from Iraq until the security situation improves.