UN chief urges Iraq political leaders to form new government
A young girl sleeps surrounded by relatives in their new
home, a primary school in Alqosh, Duhok, after fleeing their home in Mosul.
Photo: UNHCR/S. Baldwin
10
August 2014 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on all Iraqi political parties
to work towards the formation of a new government that would be able to
confront the threat from the armed group, the Islamic State (IS).
In a late night statement
yesterday from his spokesperson, Mr. Ban called on the political parties “to abide by the constitutional timeline that
governs the nomination of the Prime Minister.”
He also called for “reason and wisdom to
prevail” and urged all leaders in Iraq to form “a broad-based government that is acceptable to all
components of Iraqi society.”
Such a government should be able to
mobilize the nation to confront the threat from IS in a way that will bring
security and stability to the whole country, Mr. Ban added.
Iraqi politicians on 15 July chose Salim
al-Jubour as the new Speaker of the Council of Representatives, and Fuad
Ma'soum as the new President on 24 July.
Per the Iraqi Constitution, the political
leaders have until the end of today to nominate a Prime Minister, who would
then form a new Government.
In his statement, Mr. Ban noted that as the
Organization and the international community are closely following the
political developments in Iraq, he also remains “deeply concerned” about the evolving
humanitarian and security situation in the country.
The situation remains particularly dire on
Jebel Sinjar, or Sinjar Mountain, where an estimated 50,000 people, many of
them women, children and the elderly, are believed to be trapped since ISIL displaced
them from their homes one week ago.
Aid workers are particularly concerned
about high temperatures in the northern area. Those can reach 50 degrees
Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit) at this time of year.
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