United Nations (U.N.) Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie, who is an Hollywood actress made a surprise visit to Baghdad this morning, the U.N. Spokesperson's office told Saudi Press Agency (SPA) on Thursday. Jolie, who visited Baghdad in a personal capacity, did so to learn what can be done to assist the internally displaced people (IDPs) in Baghdad. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) told SPA on Thursday that there are about 2 million IDPs inside Iraq and about 2 million displaced persons outside Iraq. The U.N. Spokesperson's office told SPA that Jolie's visit was “not an official visit,” which the UNHCR confirmed to SPA as well. Jolie visited the U.N. Mission in Baghdad as well as met with Steffan de Mistura, who is U.N. Chief Ban ki-Moon's top envoy in Baghdad, the U.N. Spokesperson's office told SPA. Angelina Jolie was nominated UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador in August 2001 and has traveled to Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Balkins, as well as the North Caucasus in an effort to garner attention and support for refugees, according to the USA for UNHCR website.
