| To ensure swift, flexible and coordinated donor financing for investments in Iraq, the World Bank and the United Nations have created online accountants for payroll services for Iraq. | The Facility helps donors channel their resources to the Iraq reconstruction effort.
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 Latest News
July 15, 2008 - Regional Health Emergency Response Project (US$ 8.7 million) became effective on June 30, 2008. The objective of the project is to assist the Kurdistan Regional Government to build capacity in the establishment of rapid, coordinated and effective response services to health emergencies resulting from acts of violence, accidents, or natural disasters. Project launch was held July 15-17 in Aqaba, Jordan. The workshop provided the Kurdistan Regional Government Ministry of Health representatives, UNOPS (Implementing Agent) staff, and the World Bank to plan the first six months of implementation in detail. The Bank also conducted training for project staff in Bank policies and procedures, including procurement, financial management, environmental safeguards, and monitoring and evaluation.
UNDG Iraq Trust Fund Quarterly Newsletter (April to June 2008) - The Newsletter contains, among other information items, a brief update on the outcome of the Seventh IRFFI Donor Committee meeting of 7 July held in Baghdad and some extracts from the Seventh UNDG ITF Consolidated Progress Report. (more)
July 7, 2008 - The Seventh IRFFI Donor Committee Meeting hosted by the Government Iraq was held in Baghdad on July 7, 2008. The meeting Co-chaired by Iraq and Italy, aimed to review the Iraq Trust Fund administered by the World Bank and the United Nations. The meeting provided an opportunity to launch discussion on the future of IRFFI and multilateral trust funds in Iraq, and to examine additional concrete steps to further align IRFFI with ICI. (more)
May, 2008 - Emergency Community Infrastructure Rehabilitation (Additional Financing US$ 26 million) The Project was launched on May 24. Bidding documents for civil works and equipment/goods have been prepared and are ready for tendering.
May, 2008 - The Government of Iraq will present its First Annual Review of the International Compact with Iraq, at a conference hosted by the Swedish Government in Stockholm on May 29, 2008. The Review will outline Iraq's progress against the Compact benchmarks during 2007-2008. The Annual Review was produced by the Government Iraq with technical assistance from the United Nations and input from key international partners. (more)
April 1-9, 2008 - Financed by Second Capacity Building Project, and supporting the work of the Household Survey and Policies for Poverty reduction Project, a "Strategic Planning: How to Use Available Iraq Data to Develop a PRSP" workshop was held for members of the High Committee for Poverty Reduction Strategie group comprising of Director General representatives from Prime Minister's Office, Ministries of Health, Finance, Education, Planning, Trade, Labor, Women's affairs, the KRG and two Iraqi Universities. The objective of the workshop was to train committee members to: (i) learn how PRSP Committees organize their work, (ii) develop a plan for the Iraq Strategy; and (iii) learn type of data available in Iraq and how that data can be used in the development of a strategy. The workshop provided a total of 80 person-days of training. A follow-up workshop is planned for June 2008.
UNDG Iraq Trust Fund Quarterly Newsletter (January to March 2008). This issue includes some highlights of UNDG ITF operations including the current status of closed projects and project monitoring activities. As of 31 December 2007, the Participating UN Organizations have legally committed $85 million (77%) and disbursed $737 (66%) of total approved projects amounting to US$1.111 million. (more)
Amman, January 27, 2008 - A World Bank Social Protection team from the Middle East and North Africa Region visited Amman, Jordan, during the period January 27 – February 6, 2008 to undertake a workshop on Iraq’s implementation of pension reforms. The objectives of the workshop were (i) to develop a medium-term action plan for implementation of pension reforms in Iraq; (ii) to identify areas in which the Bank can provide support in this area; and (iii) to undertake initial capacity building.e Deputy Minister for Education, the Governor of Anbar and the Anbar Director General attended the official opening of two new schools financed by the World Bank Iraq Trust Fund. (more)
Amman, January 6, 2008 - A joint Procurement, Financial management and Disbursement Workshop was held from January 6-10. 2008, as part of the Iraq Public Procurement System Reform Project financed under the Iraq Trust Fund--Capacity Building II project and in coordination with the Iraqi Ministry of Planning and Development Cooperation. (more)
December 2007 - The Deputy Minister for Education, the Governor of Anbar and the Anbar Director General attended the official opening of two new schools financed by the World Bank Iraq Trust Fund. (more)
December 2007 - The Public Distribution System (PDS) is the large-scale food ration system that was introduced during UN sanctions and was later supplemented under the Oil for Food Program. The PDS, while effective in reaching the poor and maintaining a minimum standard of living, does so in a very costly and inefficient way. (more)
December 13, 2007 - The World Bank and the European Commission signed an agreement for additional contribution to the Iraq Trust Fund (ITF) for Euro 20 million to support Public Finance Management Reform.
Bari, Italy - October 28 - 29, 2007 - The Sixth IRFFI Donor Committee Meeting was hosted by the Government of Italy in Bari, on October 29, 2007. The purpose of the meeting was to review the Iraq Trust Fund administered by the World Bank and the United Nations, and update the governance structures of IRFFI as requested at the Istanbul Donor Committee Meeting (March 2007). The Donor Committee adopted a revised Terms of Reference for IRFFI to help ensure full Iraqi ownership in setting policy directions and priorities, and that projects financed by IRFFI are closely aligned with Iraq's National Development Strategy and the Compact. Background materials, including the UN and WB progress reports, revised Terms of Reference for IRFFI, and other presentations are available. (more)
UNDG Iraq Trust Fund Newsletter (October 2007). This issue includes some highlights of UNDG ITF operations with a special segment on employment promotion in Iraq. As of end October 2007, the implementing UN agencies have legally committed $796 million (74%) and disbursed $684 (63%) of total approved projects amounting to US$1.079 million. (more)
Washington, October 23, 2007 - The World Bank and the Government of the Republic of Korea signed an agreement for additional contribution to the Iraq Trust Fund (ITF) for US$5 million to support infrastructure development and employment creation activities. Total commitment from Korea to the ITF now stands at US$9 million.
Washington, October 2007 - The IRFFI Facility Coordination Committee met with the Co-Chairs of the IRFFI Donor Committee in Washington, D.C. on October 9, 2007. Dr. Faik Abdul Rasool represented Dr. Ali Baban, the Minister of Planning and Development Cooperation (MoPDC) at the meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to review the final consultant's report on the Terms of Reference (TOR) for IRFFI, and to propose specific changes to be made to the IRFFI TOR document. The Co-Chairs of the Donor Committee and the IRFFI FCC agreed that the consultant's report achieved the three key objectives requested by the Donor Committee in Istanbul, and suggested recommendations to: (i) ensure a strong Iraqi ownership and leadership of IRFFI; (ii) promote clear alignment of the IRFFI with Iraqi priorities as articulated in the National Development Strategy (NDS) and the International Compact with Iraq (ICI); and (iii) clarify and streamline the various components of the IRFFI governance structure. The participants proposed specific changes to the IRFFI TOR, in line with the recommendations of the consultant's report. Subsequently, an informal donor briefing was held at the UN in New York on October 11, 2007, to exchange of views on the proposed changes to the IRFFI TOR, in preparation for the IRFFI Donor Committee Meeting to be held October 29, 2007, in Bari, Italy. The documents were then circulated to donors electronically with a request to provide comments by October 18, 2007.Representatives of the Government of Iraq, the Government of Italy, the United Nations, and the World Bank met to discuss proposed revisions to the IRFFI Terms of Reference following a review undertaken by Scanteam. As a next step, participants agreed to transmit the revised Terms of Reference to members.
United Nations and World Bank Facility Coordination Committee Meets with Co-Chairs of the IRFFI Donor Committee to Discuss Revisions to the IRFFI Terms of Reference. Baghdad, July 31, 2007 -Representatives of the Government of Iraq, the Government of Italy, the United Nations, and the World Bank met to discuss proposed revisions to the IRFFI Terms of Reference following a review undertaken by Scanteam. As a next step, participants agreed to transmit the revised Terms of Reference to members of the Donor Committee for their review and comment by September 10. The next IRFFI Donor Committee meeting is scheduled to take place in Bari, Italy on October 30, 2007, preceded by a meeting of the International Reconstruction Forum (IRFO) on October 29, 2007.
Baghdad, July 29, 2007 - The Iraqi Council of Representatives approved four IDA loans for following projects: Emergency Electricity Rehabilitation (US$124 million); Emergency Hydropower Plants for Dokan and Derbandikhan (US$40 million); Emergency Road Rehabilitation (US$135 million); and Emergency Education (US$100 million). (more)
Baghdad, July 7, 2007 - The World Bank, in collaboration with the Government of Iraq, and other international partners launched the first of a series of workshops on public finance management. The workshops will provide the basis for the Public Expenditure Institutional Assessment (PEIA), which will be the Bank’s flagship economic and sector work for 2007. (more)
UNDG Iraq Trust Fund Newsletter (June 2007). This issue includes some highlights of UNDG ITF operations and outcomes of the Results Based Reporting workshops for Clusters, held in Amman. As of end June 2007, the implementing UN agencies have legally committed $765 million (74%) and disbursed $648 million (63%) of total approved projects amounting to $1,031 million. (more)
Washington, June 30, 2007 - The World Bank Operations in Iraq Summary outlines contributions and implementation progress. (more)
Amman, June 17-18, 2007-Joint Iraq/Jordan independent external auditors’ capacity building workshop. The World Bank launched a regional auditor's capacity strengthening program aiming at sharing WB’s policies and procedures as well as useful tools to help the auditors of the WB's financed projects deliver high quality reports. (more)
UNDG Iraq Trust Fund Newsletter (May 2007). This issue features highlights from the UNDG ITF Six-month Progress Report covering the period from 1 July - 31 December, 2007 and important events reported by Agencies. As of end May 2007, the implementing UN agencies have legally committed $714 million (72%) and disbursed $634 million (62%) of total approved projects amounting to $1,028 million. (more)
June 5, 2007 - UNDG ITF Fifth Progress Report. The Fifth Six-month Progress report provides information on the continuing progress of United Nations multisectoral operations in Iraq for the period from 1 July to 30 December 2006. (more)
Washington, June 5, 2007 - Alert on false bidding documents. Please be advised that we have been notified of the circulation of a World Bank bidding document for the purchase of procurement of pharmaceutical products financed by a World Bank loan to the IAMB (International Advisory and Monitoring Board on Iraq). (more)
27 April 2007 - Greece joins IRFFI Donor Committee as a rotating member. Following the accession of Turkey to full membership, 21 countries are member of the Committee. (List of countries)
WASHINGTON, April 16, 2007 – The WB Supports Electricity Rehabilitation in Iraq. The Government of Iraq, represented by Minister of Finance Dr. Bayan Jabr and the WB, represented by Daniela Gressani, Regional Vice president for MENA, signed a credit agreement today to finance the US$124 million Emergency Electricity Reconstruction Project. The total cost of the project is estimated at US$150 million including US$6 million from the WB ITF. (Signing Ceremony;WB Board Approval)
UNDG Iraq Trust Fund Newsletter (March 2007). This issue features highlights of the IRFFI donor committee meeting held in Istanbul, Turkey on 19-20 March, 2007, and the multi-donor stocktaking review of IRFFI. As of end March, the implementing UN agencies have legally committed $716 million (74%) and disbursed $612 million (63%) of total approved projects amounting to $974 million. (more)
Contract Scam Alert, March 26, 2007 - The United Nations Development Group (UNDG) Iraq Trust Fund(ITF) is currently aware of fictitious communication, including electronic mail, letters, fax messages, purporting to award contracts for the supply of goods on behalf of UNDG Iraq Trust Fund (ITF) (more)
March 21, 2007 - Canada is committing to the ITF an additional CND$ 5 million ($ 4.4 million). Canada's total commitments to IRFFI stand now at CND$ 110 million.
ISTANBUL, Turkey, March 20, 2007—IRFFI Moves Forward Following Productive Donor Committee Meeting. (Press Release) ; (Arabic بيان صحفي)
The Fifth IRFFI Donor Committee meeting, hosted by the government of Turkey, will be held in Istanbul March 20. (More)
UNDG Iraq Trust Fund Newsletter (February 2007). This issue features examples of implementation modalities including monitoring and evaluation mechanisms from WHO, Cluster F (Refugees, IDPs and Durable Solutions) and UNICEF. As of end February 2007, the implementing UN agencies have legally committed $704 million (78%) and disbursed $599 million (66%) of total approved projects amounting to $904 million.(more)
February 18, 2007. One-third of Iraqis live in poverty, UNDP-backed study finds. From a thriving middle income economy in the 1970's and 1980's, one third of today's Iraqi population lives in poverty with more than 5 per cent living in extreme poverty. The study was prepared by the Iraqi Central Organization for Statistics and Information Technology with the support of UNDP. (executive summary)
Geneva, Jan. 8, 2007 - The UN Refugee Agency launched a new appeal for Iraq operations (more)
Washington, December 21, 2006 - The World Bank and Iraq’s Ministry of Environment have signed a $5 million grant agreement to strengthen environmental management capacity. The project will be implemented by the Ministry of Environment. (more)
IRFFI News [archive 2006] UNDG Iraq Trust Fund News [archive] WB Iraq Trust Fund News
For more information regarding the International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq website, please contact Khaled Lahlo : klahlo@worldbank.org |
