The United Nations has a proud record of humanitarianism in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Its legacy is embedded in our history. In 1991, when millions of our people abandoned their homes, and families, for refuge in the mountains, the UN led the biggest humanitarian relief effort in its 77-year history. When the first KRG cabinet was formed in 1992, the UN helped feed the hungry, put our children back in school, restocked our hospitals, and restored water and electricity.

The UN has stood alongside our people throughout decades of war and displacement in ways that showcase its founding ideals. It has become the world's safety net. A sometimes broken and unreconciled global community relies on the UN more than ever before. We all crave a better tomorrow. The UN helps deliver it. I congratulate all its selfless staff across the world.

Today, more than ever, the KRG looks to the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) for help. The organization's continued political, humanitarian, and technical assistance is invaluable as we navigate, between Erbil and Baghdad, the pressing issues of internally displaced Iraqis and Syrian refugees.

Masrour Barzani