UN Secretary-General welcomes the formation of Iraq's new government

Shafaq News/ The United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, welcomes the formation of a new government in Iraq and the inclusion of three women in ministerial positions, spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Friday.

"The Secretary-General welcomes the formation of a new government in Iraq, led by Prime Minister Mohammed S. al-Sudani," Dujarric said in a statement.

"He takes note of the appointment of women to three of the 21 ministerial positions filled on 27 October," Dujarric he added, "The UN Secretary-General hopes the remaining two cabinet positions will be filled swiftly."

Yesterday, Iraq's parliament approved the government of Prime Minister al-Sudani after more than a year of political paralysis, but the war-ravaged country seems far from reaching safe shores.

Al-Sudani now faces the gargantuan task of delivering on pledges to fight corruption and offer job opportunities to the country's disaffected youth, all while grappling with an unpredictable political opponent.

In a bid to dispel criticism over his pro-Iran political backers in parliament, he has also vowed not to "adopt the polarised politics" of the past that saw Iraq split amongst fiercely rival camps.

But oil-rich Iraq has for years suffered rampant corruption preventing the adequate distribution of funds, and analysts predict no imminent end to the country's protracted crises.