Senior UN officials commend decision of Iraq's al-Maliki to back his successor
15 August 2014 – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his envoy in Iraq welcomed Nouri al-Maliki's decision to step aside as Prime Minister and urged national political leaders to build consensus on how to address security threats and other challenges facing the country.
Mr. Ban acknowledged Mr. al-Maliki's announcement, in which he also pledged support for Haider al-Abbadi as a successor nominee, as "a demonstration of his commitment to the orderly transfer of power in the best interest of the country," his spokesperson said in a statement.
The move paves the way for Mr. al-Abbadi to form a new Government which could address threats from the Islamic State (IS) and other armed groups.
The UN chief said he "looks forward to the swift formation of an inclusive, broad-based government," according to the statement.
Praising Mr. al-Maliki's statesmanship, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Iraq, Nickolay Mladenov, said the decision will allow for an "historic milestone."
In a statement from the UN Assistance Mission (UNAMI) which he heads, Mr. Mladenov called on the political blocs in Parliament and an all Iraqis "to work together to restore the unity of the country and stand-up to the threats posed by terrorism, sectarianism and division."
There are growing concerns about human rights violations perpetrated by the armed groups, including potential genocide, against minority groups in the country.
The UN yesterday declared a "Level 3 emergency" in the country, its highest humanitarian classification.
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