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EU Steps Up Assistance for Stabilisation of Iraq

The European Commission has adopted a €60.4 million stabilisation package to support Iraq after the liberation of areas held by Da’esh, with the country still facing humanitarian, security, stabilisation and reconciliation challenges.

This new funding comes in addition to EU humanitarian aid in the country and other forms of financial assistance that now total €608.4 million since the beginning of the crisis.

High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini (pictured) said:

“At this important juncture in Iraq history, we stand at the side of the Iraqi people and authorities who have shown courage and resilience in their fight against Da’esh. Today more than ever, the EU is present to assist them in building their post-Da’esh future.

“We are and will continue to be active on the political, humanitarian, security and development sides to help stabilising the liberated areas. This is a pre-condition for reconciliation, for the return of the many internally displaced who are eager to come back and for the longer term stability in Iraq.”

Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica said:

“The liberation of Mosul and other areas previously occupied by Da’esh is a first step towards peace. The EU has been supporting the needs of millions of Iraqis and will not stop there. They can also count on EU assistance for the further stabilisation and development efforts of their country.”

The stabilisation package includes €50.4 million help to restore basic services, repair essential public infrastructure, as well as to reactivate economic activity through grants to small businesses. This will be done through the UNDP Funding Facility for Stabilisation, which is working in newly retaken areas in Anbar, Salah al-Din, Kirkuk, Ninewah and Diyala Governorates. Thanks to more than 1,200 projects, over 2.2 million people have been able to return to their homes.

A further €10 million will continue to facilitate the clearance of lands previously contaminated by explosives, by supporting the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS). This will also help creating the conditions for a safe, voluntary and dignified return of more than 3 million internally displaced persons (IDPs).

In the past year and a half, with the EU playing a key role in coordination, UNMAS has surveyed and cleared more than 1.8 million m² of land in and around Fallujah and around 160 thousand m² in al Anbar Province.

(Source: European Commission)

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Stabilization in Mosul: 300 Projects Underway

Stabilization in Mosul: 300 projects underway and 10,000 people put to work

Three years of ISIL occupation and fierce fighting to retake the Mosul caused widespread destruction.

In 10 months, nearly one million Iraqis fled the city. 700,000 are still displaced. Mosul is one of the largest stabilization challenges the people of Iraq and the UN have ever faced. US$700 million is needed for West Mosul alone.

At the request of the Prime Minister of Iraq, UNDP established the Funding Facility for Stabilization (FFS) in June 2015 to help rapidly stabilize newly retaken areas.

Iraq and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are changing the way stabilization is done. Iraqi officials assess what needs to be done. They ask UNDP, and UNDP responds.

More than 1,100 projects are underway in 23 cities, restoring water and electricity, repairing schools, hospitals, and transport networks, and putting tens of thousands of people back to work. 95% of all stabilization work is contracted through the local private sector.

Local companies are rebuilding their own cities employing local labour. Stabilization is about speed and functionality.

The top priority now is Mosul. 300 projects are already underway, many started even as the fighting was continuing. 10,000 people of Mosul are working on stabilization, so that residents can return home safely, with dignity, and build back their cities.

Increased stability in Iraq can lay the foundations for longer term reconciliation and generate much-needed hope for the millions of Iraqis affected by this conflict.

(Source: UNDP in Iraq)

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Germany, UNDP agree $2.8m Funding for Reconciliation

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the German Embassy in Baghdad signed a cooperation agreement to support civic and community-based reconciliation across Iraq.

Under the leadership of the Implementation and Follow Up National Reconciliation Committee (IFNRC) of the Office of Iraq’s Prime Minister, UNDP has recently launched a major project to support local peace committees and help communities collect information on atrocities and violations committed against citizens during the conflict.

The Ambassador of Germany to Iraq, Dr. Cyrill Nunn, said:

“Reconciliation on a community level is key to a peaceful future of Iraq. As part of Germany’s commitment to the work of UNDP in Iraq, we are very pleased to support this project which will hopefully contribute to building trust between Iraqi citizens and to a more peaceful and resilient Iraq.”

UNDP Resident Representative for Iraq, Ms. Lise Grande, said:

“Reconciliation is the highest priority in the country. Nothing is more important now right after the liberation of Mosul than helping communities find ways to live together in peace after the terrible years of conflict. Germany’s generous contribution to reconciliation comes at just the right time.”

(Source: UN)

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France Contributes $1m to Resilience in Iraq

France contributes US$980,600 to resilience in Iraq

The Government of France has contributed US$980,600 (€833,500) to UNDP’s Iraq Crisis Response and Resilience Programme (ICRRP) to promote recovery and resilience-building in areas liberated from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis fled the ISIL takeover of the Ninewah Plains in 2014. Most have yet to return. Families from these areas, particularly Karemles, Hamdaniya (Qaraqosh), and Bartella, face multiple challenges due to the destruction caused by ISIL, including a lack of job opportunities, the disruption of basic services, and heavily damaged housing.

France’s contribution to ICRRP will help restore livelihoods and facilitate the return of internally displaced people from the Ninewah Plains, including vulnerable minority communities, through housing rehabilitation and the provision of grants to small businesses. The project will be implemented by two non-governmental organizations, L’Oeuvre d’Orient and Fraternite’ en Irak.

UNDP’s Resident Representative for Iraq, Ms. Lise Grande, said:

“These communities have been through so much. France’s contribution comes at just the right time to help families return home safely, voluntarily and in dignity.”

The French Ambassador to Iraq, Mr. Bruno Aubert, said:

“This integrated project will allow these communities to benefit again from basic services, and help them engage in local economic activities that produce income for their families.”

UNDP’s ICRRP provides fast-track support to vulnerable families in newly liberated cities and villages where social tensions threaten community cohesion.

ICRRP is designed as a resilience and recovery programme to help families withstand the multi-dimensional shocks associated with post-liberation and large-scale returns.

(Source: UNDP in Iraq)