ReliefWeb

(Baghdad, 19 August 2020) I am honored to mark World Humanitarian Day as one of my first acts as the Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq. The commemoration has special significance here, as World Humanitarian Day was designated by the United Nations General Assembly in memory of the attack on the UN headquarters in Baghdad at the Canal Hotel on 19 August 2003. Many colleagues lost their lives that day, as they worked to support the Iraqi people in a time of crisis.

With serious humanitarian needs having re-emerged in the country in recent years, I wish to give special recognition today to the humanitarian staff working across the country to assist the 4.1 million Iraqis currently in need of assistance. I thank them for their dedication and service, especially in the face of the operational difficulties imposed by COVID-19. It is my privilege to take up my new role and oversee the humanitarian response in Iraq and to work alongside the "Real Life Heroes" among us on this World Humanitarian Day.

For further information, please contact: Hilary Stauffer, Head of Reporting, Policy and Strategy, OCHA Iraq (Baghdad), +964 782 780 4622 | Email: staufferh@un.org