Baghdad-INA
The Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Regional Director of the United Nations Development Programme for Arab States, Abdullah Al-Dardari, affirmed on Saturday that Iraq is now capable of managing its affairs without a UN political mission, while noting that the water and environment files are of interest to Al-Zaidi within a vision for Iraq until 2050.
Al-Dardari told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "The United Nations organizations in Iraq are active and working as a unified group, especially after the departure of the UNAMI mission from Iraq,therefore, we must fill this void."
He added, "Iraq no longer needs a UN political mission and is now capable of managing its own affairs."
He pointed out that “the strategy for combating climate change and environmental pollution must originate from the Iraqi government,the United Nations does not replace Iraq, but rather represents a small part of the effort exerted, and the strength of any United Nations project lies in the extent to which it is consistent with a clear national vision in this sector,” stressing “the continuation of the United Nations Development Programme in supporting climate change and environmental pollution control programs in Iraq.”
He added, "Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is talking about a vision for Iraq until 2050, and we are certain that the water and environment files are receiving great attention, as it is not possible to talk about an economic vision without taking into account the effects of climate change and environmental issues."
He affirmed "the United Nations' support for bridging any gaps that may appear in the institutional and financial capacities needed to implement environmental projects, and our commitment to this issue is clear."
