Iraq’s Chargé d’Affaires to UN Delivers a Speech at a Commiseration to Mark the 21st anniversary of Bombing of United Nations Headquarters in Baghdad

A memorial ceremony was held at the United Nations headquarters in New York, in the presence of representatives of diplomatic missions and UN staff, on the occasion of World Humanitarian Day and the 21st anniversary of the terrorist attack that targeted the United Nations headquarters at the Canal Hotel in Baghdad. During the ceremony, a wreath was laid at the memorial that commemorates this tragic incident, and Under Secretary General Mr. Atul Khare, delivered speech on behalf of the Secretary General of the United Nations.

As well on this occasion the Chargé d’Affaires of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Iraq to the United Nations in New York, Dr. Abbas Kadhom Obaid, also delivered a speech in which he referred to the twenty-first anniversary of the terrorist bombing that targeted the Canal Hotel in Baghdad on 19 August 2003, which resulted in the loss of the Special Representative of the United Nations in Iraq, Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello, and many of his colleagues. He added that their sacrifices promote human values, and that our stand today is to honor their legacy and sacrifices, and to encourage those who continue this vital work despite the risks. He pointed out that on the same date, six years later, on August 19, 2009, Iraq witnessed another tragedy when the Foreign Ministry was attacked, which lead to the martyrdom of 47 employees and wounding 600 others. He stressed that these terrorist crimes did not deter humanitarian workers on the field from continuing their noble tasks, reiterating Iraq’s firm commitment to support global efforts to combat terrorism, and offered his condolences on behalf of the Government of Iraq to the families of the victims.