Working with the Government of Iraq
The UK’s fundamental objective in Iraq is to develop the capacity of the democratically elected Government of Iraq, and in particular to increase its ability to provide security and basic services to the Iraqi people. The Government of Iraq is leading the reconstruction process, with support from DFID, the United Nations, the World Bank, the United States and other donors.
To achieve this DFID is working to help the government to improve service and manage the economy effectively.
Billions, not millions of dollars are needed to get Iraq’s services working properly. With the world’s third largest proven reserves of oil, Iraq should be in a position to fund much of the necessary investment itself. But because of the challenges involved in planning and implementing the scale of investment needed (around $20 billion just on electricity infrastructure over the next ten years), spending has been slow, at just over US$1 billion in 2005 and 2006.
This is why DFID is providing experts to work with the Iraqi Government, at national and local level, to help it plan and deliver investment in basic services (such as electricity and hospitals), to generate jobs and to manage its own resources effectively.
We are offering expert assistance to:
- The Ministry of Finance. DFID has a £13 million project to support the MoF develop and carry out pro-poor economic reform. The project focuses on helping the Iraqis make better use of their money: strengthening the Government’s management of the economy, helping them begin key structural reforms, and tackling blockages in domestic investment.
- The Centre of Government, including the Prime Minister’s Office. A team of 5 full-time international experts is embedded in Prime Minister Maliki’s office. The team is also helping the Council of Ministers Secretariat (the Iraqi equivalent of the UK Cabinet Office) to make the Cabinet committee system function more effectively.
- Southern Provinces. DFID is supporting the UK-led Provincial Reconstruction Team in Basra, which helps Iraqi Provincial Councils to drive forward local development and reconstruction. The PRT works closely with Provincial Councils in southern Iraq, helping them to access funding from the national Government and agreeing priorities to meet development needs. In Basra this has led to the formation of a three-year development strategy that is now being used to plan and implement essential repairs to roads, water and sewage infrastructure.
- Provincial Government officials and local Iraqi engineering firms in the South. Our Infrastructure Programme is helping local contractors and Provincial Government officials to build their understanding of best practice in infrastructure delivery and project management.
Last updated 17 April 2007
