Iraq Reconstruction and Investment (2018-2030).

This Iraq Reconstruction and Investment Framework is a nationwide multisectoral document aiming at both redressing the impact of the current crisis and preventing future crises by addressing the structural causes of conflict and violence. To this end, the Framework moves beyond the physical reconstruction of economic and social assets to address challenges associated with the breakdown of trust and the need to advance critical reforms to promote reconciliation and a new social contract between different geographic, ethnic, religious, cultural, and social entities. It aims to balance major investments with targeted political, security and justice, and administrative reforms to promote reconciliation and build peace. The Framework is also underpinned by a vision for a new way of mobilizing financing for recovery and reconstruction by partnering with the private sector so that reconstruction efforts form the basis of a joint public-private sector-led economic recovery and contribute to broad-based non-oil growth and sustainable job creation for all Iraqis. The reconstruction is structured around five key pillars: 1) Governance; 2) Reconciliation and Peacebuilding; 3) Social and Human Development; 4) Infrastructure; and 5) Economic Development. For each pillar, the Framework suggests concrete reform priorities sequenced over the short-, medium- and long-term. The document consists of five main sections (1) the first section serves as an introduction and presents the conflict background as well as the Vision and guiding principles of the Framework; (2) the second section identifies Iraq’s main structural challenges and the conflict’s impact on the liberated areas; (3) the third section formulates a reconstruction and development plan that identifies key recovery needs, local investment opportunities as well as a national program and reform priorities; (4) the fourth section presents the envisioned institutional and implementation arrangements, accountability mechanisms, and strategic communication; (5) the fifth section presents the envisioned financing strategy.
The five recovery pillars that relate to strategic reconstruction and development objectives envisage priority outcomes, namely (1) the Governance pillar focuses on developing accountable and responsive institutions and promoting equity and fairness to strengthen the trust and legitimacy of the Government and to forge a new social contract between Iraqi citizens and the state based on equity, inclusion, transparency, accountability, and respect for the rule of law. Under pillar (2), Reconciliation and Peacebuilding, reconciliation – at the federal, governorate, and local levels as well as among all components of Iraqi society – is essential to achieve sustainable peace, inclusion, and national unity and includes, amongst others, public awareness and education campaigns, expansion of local peace committees, transitional justice programs that focus on restoring rights of victims, conflict resolution training, efforts to prevent violent extremism, job creation programs for ex-combatants, targeted programs for vulnerable groups including women and youth, as well safeguarding damaged or destroyed historical buildings and cultural heritage sites. The Social and Human Development, provided by the Pillar (3), focuses on restoring and improving access to basic social services that have been disrupted by the conflict that has often further exacerbated the insufficient service delivery levels and aims to rehabilitate and strengthen primary health care, provide adequate medical supplies, provide adequate teaching and learning materials, implement urban infrastructure and city management plans, establish safe havens for survivors of sexual violence, social and psychological rehabilitation programs for women and girls, rehabilitation of priority environmental hotspots. Under pillar (4) dealing with the infrastructure, the Government aims to rehabilitate and reconstruct infrastructure that is critical for adequate service provision, including the safe removal of explosive hazards from damaged and destroyed facilities, and the rehabilitation of roads and bridges as well as ports and airports, water and sanitation facilities, energy generation and distribution assets, and housing and accommodation. The recovery pillar (5) for Economic Development aims to stimulate national and local economic activity by focusing on non-oil sectors to create employment, develop productive capacities, generate sustainable income, and promote private sector development as well as sustainable tourism. A special focus would be placed on enabling women to participate in the economy and labor force. The development includes programs to address food insecurity, modern irrigation projects, the rehabilitation of agricultural land, and the rebuilding of damaged banking and payment systems.