On 18 March 2003, following a United States warning to the United Nations to withdraw its personnel from Iraq and the decision of the Secretary-General to withdraw and suspend all United Nations operations in Iraq, all UNMOVIC personnel, together with other United Nations staff, were successfully evacuated by air to Larnaca, Cyprus.
Au cours de cette période, la question de l'Iraq a constitué l'un des thèmes principaux du débat général de la cinquante-septième session de l'Assemblée générale.