UN and Iraq agree on plan to boost governance, socio-economic development

The United Nations and Iraq have agreed on the basics of a new development partnership to strengthen Iraqi governance, social services and economic growth over the next five years.

More than 120 participants, including from the Government, parliamentarians, civil society organizations, academia, international donors and UN agencies, took part in the discussions on the action plan for Iraq’s first UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) for the period 2011 to 2014.

“The UNDAF is the UN’s most comprehensive tool to help countries meet their international development commitments – primarily the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),” said Christine McNab, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, referring to the globally agreed targets to slash extreme hunger and poverty, infant and maternal mortality, and lack of access to education and health care – all by 2015.

“This first ever UNDAF for Iraq represents our commitment to improve life for millions of Iraqis, by uniting the UN system in support of Iraq’s own priorities for reform, modernization and socio-economic revival,” she added.

The UNDAF discussions focused on Iraq’s development priorities in the aftermath of three decades of conflict, and outlined major areas of UN support in areas such as peace consolidation and human rights, good governance, economic growth, women and children’s rights and environmental protection.

These issues were selected to support Iraq’s five-year National Development Plan, which foresees over $200 billion in investment in services, economic stimulus and environmental protection from 2010 to 2014.

The completed UNDAF will be co-signed by the UN and the Iraqi Government in 2010.