The Secretary-General, on the advice of his Security Coordinator, has ordered a temporary redeployment of UN international staff in Iraq.

Today there remain 42 in Baghdad and 44 in the north of the country, and those numbers can be expected to shrink further over the next few days.

This is not an evacuation, just a further downsizing, and the security situation in the country remains in constant review.

Meanwhile our essential humanitarian activities in Iraq continue, thanks to the efforts of our more than 4,000 national staff in the country.