The UN Security Council on Thursday extended the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) for one year.

The current mandate of the UN Iraq mission, which has bases in Baghdad, Erbil in the north and Basra in the south, expires on Friday.

By a unanimously adopted resolution, the council reaffirmed that "the United Nations should play a leading role in assisting the efforts of the Iraqi people and government in strengthening institutions for representative government, and in promoting national dialogue and unity."

In a recent letter to the president of the council, Secretary-General Kofi Annan highlighted UNAMI's successful efforts to facilitate the country's political transition in the past year, particularly with regard to the holding of two national elections and the adoption of a new constitution.

He noted, however, that Iraq "continued to face formidable political, security and economic challenges" and still needed support from the international community. Insurgent, militia and terrorist attacks had continued unabated in many places, and sectarian violence posed an increasing threat to the Iraqi people.

The foreign minister of Iraq, Hoshyar Zebari, wrote to the secretary-general earlier this month to request UNAMI's extension for one year. He said that UNAMI will continue to have a "vital role" in working with Iraq to build a productive and prosperous country at peace with itself and its neighbors.

Set up by the Security Council in August, 2003, UNAMI is headed by the secretary-general's Special Representative Ashraf Qazi who formerly served as a career diplomat for his native Pakistan.

(Xinhua News Agency August 11, 2006)