“Nothing is more important in Iraq in the future than ensuring that there is a national dialogue, that there is inclusive governance, that everyone who lives in Iraq feels that there is a government in place that cares about them and looks after them. The key to that is reconciliation,” said Lise Grande, deputy head of the UN’s mission in Iraq (UNAMI) and the UN’s humanitarian coordinator in Iraq, who sat down with Rudaw’s Majeed Gly in New York.
Their efforts, however, are facing a funding challenge.
The UN only received 43 percent of requested funds in 2017, down from 90 percent in previous years.
This puts reconciliation efforts in jeopardy, Grande argued.
“There’s no reconciliation possible in Iraq without the humanitarian caseload being met. You cannot ensure that the military gains are protected if the people who have been impacted the most don’t receive the help they need.”
