On 24 March, EUAM Iraq took over the chairmanship of the Executive Steering Committee of the Security Coordination Group, a forum assisting the Government of Iraq in implementing the Iraqi Security Sector Reform (SSR) process. The position had been previously held by one of the five Group members, NATO Mission Iraq.

The Security Coordination Group comprises the following international actors: Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR), European Union Advisory Mission in Iraq (EUAM Iraq), NATO Mission Iraq (NMI), Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq (OSC-I) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

In today’s meeting, the representatives of the five organisations discussed the Security Coordination Group’s achievements during the past year and the priorities for 2022, including, amongst others, reiterating the international community’s continued commitment to support Iraqi authorities in their SSR in Iraq, calling on the new government to prioritize serious reforms in the security sector, and to prioritize the drafting of the new National Security Strategy.

On taking over the chairmanship of the Group, Anne Meskanen, EUAM Iraq’s Head of Mission ad interim noted:

 “I am a true believer in multilateralism and remain convinced that any serious progress in SSR can be achieved only if the international community works together towards the common goal of a more stable and prosperous Iraq. EUAM Iraq is happy to chair this high-level forum in its efforts of supporting the Iraqi authorities in building more effective and accountable security forces. To that goal, I look forward to engaging the new Iraqi Government soon, counting on its serious commitment to prioritizing the much-needed structural reform in the security sector.”

The Security Coordination Group is a formal body for SSR Programme coordination among international partners as well as with Iraqi counterparts at a strategic level. The body serves as a mechanism responsible for de-conflicting, synchronizing, collaborating and supporting the respective organizations’ efforts in support of the Government of Iraq’s strategic objectives directly related to the SSR Programme. It also serves as an institution for engaging Iraqi counterparts at a strategic level.

The Security Coordination Group’s role includes, but is not limited to, responsibilities for strategic and technical coordination among international partners developmental activities and harmonizing collective action in pursuit of an accountable, capable and sustainable Iraqi security sector through strategic level engagements with Iraqi counterparts.