^ May 2007 – Fieldwork near Al Al Sulaymaniyah as part of the Emergency Household Survey and Policies Project. More than 3,000 households were surveyed since November 2006. (more)
WB ITF Operations in Iraq (more) |
| 
^ Amman, May 5, 2009 – Fiduciary Training for Beginners(more) | 
^ Amman, January 25, 2009 - First Conference on Iraq Household Survey (more)
|
|
 Latest News www.irffi.org
Beirut, February 15-20, 20010 - The Government of Iraq and the World Bank convened a workshop to mark the formal launch of a Technical Assistance project aimed at providing support to the implementation Pensions Reform in Iraq. The Iraq Pension Reform Implementation Support Technical Assistance (PRISTA) launch was attended by counterparts from the National Board of Pensions, the Ministry of Finance, the Pension Reform Management Office and State Pension Fund. (Link to English and Arabic press release).
Baghdad, January 11, 2010 - The Prime Minister and Minister of Public Works and Municipalities attended the inauguration of a water project in Samawa, Al Muthana governorate (South Iraq). The project is financed by the Iraq Trust Fund's Water Supply, Sanitation, and Urban Rehabilitation Project, and has a total value of US$25.5 million. This is the biggest completed water project in terms of amount and capacity that has been completed in Iraq since the nineties. The Samawa plant was prepared using the latest technology in water treatment and monitoring, the SCADA system, which was installed to monitor water quality for distribution. The project is providing clean drinking water to over 250,000 individuals in Al Muthana area. The Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works is optimistic that this project will be instrumental in addressing obstacles facing the water sectors.
November 24, 2009 - Iraq’s Council of Ministers approved the National Strategy for Poverty Reduction in Iraq for 2010-2014. The ITF financed data collection and analysis, and technical assistance through the Household Survey and Policies for Poverty Reduction Project to help the High Committee for Poverty Reduction prepare the strategy. (more)
Amman, June 25, 2009 - The World Bank sponsored a workshop on June 25-26, to discuss reform of the Iraqi food ration system (PDS). The workshop, which was financed by the Household Survey and Policies for Poverty Reduction Project and the World Bank, provided Iraqi decision makers with information about: (i) the characteristics of the poor in Iraq based on the analysis of the Poverty Reduction Strategy High Committee; (ii) international experience with safety net reform, including presentations by experts from India, Indonesia and Egypt, and the World Food Program. As a follow up to the workshop, the Iraqi delegation proposed the formation of a High Level Committee for PDS Reform, and drafted Terms of Reference for technical subcommittees. The delegation recommended that the next steps focus on three aspects of reform: (i) targeting the ration to the poor; (ii) decentralizing PDS management; and (iii) modifying the basket of goods to emphasize domestically produced products.
Amman, May 28, 2009 - The National Social Safety Nets (SSN) Information System launched on May 28, was attended by the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, USAID and World Bank staff. The new information system will link the three main SSN centers in Baghdad, and uses internal controls that ensure accurate identification, registration and verification of recipients, and appropriate tracking of beneficiary records and payments. The event is a major milestone as for the first time the system was used to register beneficiaries and to issue SSN card. The World Bank Iraq Trust Fund (ITF) Emergency Social Protection Project financed the supply and installation of equipment and training for the staff that will operate the system. The ITF will continue providing support for system development and maintenance, equipping the SSN sites and providing training, while the USAID will continue to support the deployment of the information system nationwide.
Amman May 2009 - A one-day training workshop on Project Management was held for Project Directors working on Iraq Trust Fund (ITF) and World Bank financed projects. The workshop, delivered in collaboration with International Training Center of the International Labour Organisation (ITC-ILO) and financed by the ITF Second Capacity Building Project, was attended by 24 senior government officials and staff from Iraq Fiduciary Monitoring Agent. The course is based on internationally-recognized project management standards and provides practical guidance for implementing effective project control and reporting mechanisms. (more)
Amman, April 2009 - Signing of the new Banking Sector Reform Project (US$10 million) was attended by Iraqi Officials from the Central Bank, Ministry of Finance, the Board of Supreme Audits, staff from the US Treasury and the IMF. The grant was signed by the Deputy Government, Dr. Ahmad Juboori who delivered a speech thanking the World Bank for its support in the banking sector reform program. (more)
February 22-25, 2009 - A joint workshop on Civil Service Reform, Kurdistan Regional Government funded by the Second Capacity Building Project was held in Amman for Senior federal and KRG officials. The objectives of the workshop were to: (i) assist the KRG define its priorities for achieving improved public administration and civil service management based on international best practices; and (ii) build capacity of counterpart agencies. The workshop presented international and regional experiences in civil service reform, including the specific case of Yemen. Participants discussed key challenges and identified priority reform activities. (more)
Amman, Jordan - January 25, 2009 - Household Survey and Policies for Poverty Reduction Project - The Ministry of Planning and Development Cooperation of Iraq unveiled today the Tabulation Report of a Socio-Economic Survey that will ultimately help shape a comprehensive policy to reverse the social and economic misfortunes of a country that once pioneered development in the Middle East.
The Tabulation Report, launched at a news conference in Amman, is the first component of the three-phased Household Survey and Policies for Poverty Reduction (HSPPR) project, which was began in 2005 through a technical and organizational partnership with the World Bank. The tabulation report provides the data that will be used to identify the causes of poverty. The HSPPR project is being guided by the Poverty Reduction Strategy High Committee – a group of highly committed representatives from various line ministries spanning social and economic sectors, and including members of Parliament, representatives from the Kurdistan Regional Government, the Prime Minister’s Office and Iraqi academia. (more)
October 16-20, 2008 - Household Survey and Policies for Poverty Reduction Project. The Iraq High Committee for Poverty Reduction Strategies met with representatives of the World Bank. The High Committee includes representatives from six national ministries, two KRG ministries, the Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, and academia. During the workshop sub-committees presented draft papers on 6 thematic topics including income, labor force, safety nets, health, education and gender. The High Committee also worked to agree on an official poverty line for Iraq. World Bank staff from several sector units and a representative from ESCWA also participated in the discussions.
The workshop was part of the Household Survey and Policies for Poverty Reduction project, funded by the ITF. The HSPR project has three components: (i) the first nation-wide income and expenditure survey since 1988; (ii) an analytical report on poverty; and (iii) a Poverty Reduction Strategy, developed by the High Committee. A tabulation report from the survey will be released in the coming month. The analytical report on poverty is expected in the spring of 2009. The Poverty Reduction Strategy is expected by summer 2009.
Switzerland, August 18, 2008 - Capacity Building II Project. The World Bank, in collaboration with the Swiss Government and the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) organized this workshop for members of the Iraqi Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) and senior justice sector officials. The objectives of the workshop were: (i) to engage the CRC members and justice sector officials in discussion and dialogue with international experts on the two topics; and (ii) expose them to the Swiss experience (on the two topics) as well as to demonstrate other comparative experiences by leading experts from different regions and countries. (more)
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.
May, 2008 - Emergency Community Infrastructure Project (Additional Financing US$ 26 million) The Project was launched on May 24. Bidding document for civil works and equipment/goods have been prepared and are ready for tendering.
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 Strategy 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.
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. (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 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 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 13, 2007 - The World Bank and the European Commission signed an agreement for additional contribution to the Iraq Trust Fund (ITF) of Euro 20 million to support Public Finance Management Reform.
Washington, December 12, 2007 - The Emergency Electricity project became effective. In addition to the US$40 million credit provided by the International Development Association (IDA), the project is also financed by the Iraq Trust Fund which provided US$6 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.
Baghdad, November 20, 2007 - Iraqi financial experts complete a series of workshops on Public Financial and Institutional Assessment (PEIA) organized by the World Bank and the UK Department for International Development. (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)
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)
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)
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$6 million from the WB ITF. (Signing Ceremony;WB Board Approval)
March 21, 2007 - Canada is committing to the ITF an additional CND$ 5 million ($ 4.4 million). Canada's total commitments to ITF stand now at CND$ 35 million ($ 26.7 million).
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)
WB/ 3rd IDA Loan - December 12, 2006 - The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved today a credit of $40 million to supports Hydropower in Iraq. (more)
November 12-16, 2006 - The World Bank wraps up its first Iraq Private Sector Procurement Workshop as part of CBII (more)
The Six-months consolidated World Bank Iraq Trust Fund Progress Report was submitted to donors. The report covers the period from January 1, 2006 to 30 June 30, 2006. (Report)
Iraq, November 2, 2006 - Implemented by Iraqi statistical agencies, the Household Survey & Policies Project launched fieldwork in all 18 governorates, initiating the first nation-wide household expenditure survey in Iraq since 1998.
Washington, September 25, 2006 - The World Bank Iraq Trust Fund provides $6.6 million to finance a nationwide socioeconomic household survey and to formulate a poverty reduction strategy in Iraq. (more)
Baghdad – A Training Workshop on Public Procurement took place in Baghdad at the National Center for Consultancy and Management Development as part of the on-going “training of trainers” program financed by the ITF Capacity Building II project. (more)
Baghdad, July 27, 2006 - Joint Statement on the formal launch of the International Compact for Iraq, by the Government of Iraq and the United Nations - Press Release (English) (Arabic)
Washington, June 29, 2006 – The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved an IDA credit to the Government of Iraq to rehabilitate highly damaged highways and rural roads and reestablish critical river crossings. (more)
Washington, June 9, 2006 – The World Bank, on June 3, 2006, signed a grant agreement with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of Iraq to help strengthen the country’s capacity to reform social safety net and pensions programs to better assist poor and vulnerable populations. The $8 million Emergency Social Protection Project is financed by the WB ITF. (more)
Strengthening Policy Making for Poverty Reduction, Employment Generation and Safety Net Development Project - The eleventh project financed by the WB ITF was signed on May 31, 2006. The objective of this $ 1.5 million grant is to strengthen the ability of the Iraqi Government (IG) to make analytically informed policy decisions towards reducing poverty, creating jobs and protecting the vulnerable. Through this project the IG will (i) implement the survey; (ii) produce a Poverty Assessment; perform a series of Poverty and Social Impact Analyses; and (iii) develop a strategy for poverty reduction, employment generation and safety nets.
May 16, 2006- World Bank to Strengthen Existing Presence in Iraq (Press Release)
January 17, 2006. Further to our earlier announcement on November 22, 2005, the World Bank has informed the Iraqi government on January 17, 2006 that Etiman Management Consulting Services (EMCS) was selected to undertake the Fiduciary Monitoring Agent (FMA) assignment in Iraq and has begun its work. EMCS, which has an office in Baghdad, will support the Bank to monitor the full cycle of procurement and financial management requirements, including project implementation, site verification, and institutional capacity building efforts of ITF projects. EMCS will be contacting specific Project Management Teams in the ministries over the coming weeks.
Washington, November 22, 2005. The World Bank signed contract documents for the Fiduciary Monitoring Agent assignment (FMA) in Iraq.
Washington, September 23, 2005 - The Middle East and North Africa Region (MENA) of the World Bank holds a press briefing (more)
Washington, September 22, 2005 - A seminar entitled "The Reform Agenda in the Post-War Reconstruction of Iraq" was held on the occasion of the 2005 Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group with a presentation from Dr. Ali Abdul Ameer Allawi, Minister of Finance of Iraq. The seminar addressed key economic challenges in present-day Iraq; the effective use of savings from subsidy reforms to construct targeted safety nets for the Iraqi poor; as well as the political economy of these reforms, their pacing and sequencing.
Washington, September 21, 2005 - The Deputy Minister of Finance of Iraq makes a presentation on Iraq's reform vision and its medium-term fiscal strategy. (more)
August 2005- The WB ITF "Lessons Learned" study was launched this month. The study is expected to be completed by November 2005. This study, conducted by an independent consultant firm under contract to the World Bank, will review and evaluate the institutional and organizational arrangements of the WB ITF under IRFFI, and build on previous analyses of other World Bank-managed multi-donor aid arrangements for post-conflict situations. The study will evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the Facility, including its fiduciary requirements and procedures, governance structure, management, oversight and accountability, and impact on donor coordination. The study is expected to be completed by November 2005.
Amman, July 10, 2005 — Representatives of more than 60 countries will gather at the Dead Sea in Jordan on July 18-19, 2005 to review progress and lessons learned from donor-financed reconstruction activities in Iraq. (Press release)
Brussels, 22 June 2005- More than 80 countries and organizations gathered in Brussels at the invitation of the EU and the US (Iraq International Conference Statement)
Washington, 24 May 2005 – Dr. Barham Salih, Minister of Planning and Development Cooperation of Iraq, comes to the World Bank for meetings. Discussions, described by the Minister as a "good working session", covered a range of topics, including: the overall World Bank program in Iraq; reconstruction and reform strategy in key sectors; best practices in Donor Coordination; and issues regarding IRFFI.
Procurement under way for over $80 million in goods and services according to the latest World Bank Iraq Trust Fund Status Report which outlines progress through end-April, 2005.
Iraqi children proudly display their new textbooks - March 2005 - The students consider the new textbooks so valuable that most of them cover their books with attractive paper to protect them. Teachers report that they are pleased with the quality of the textbooks and, for the first time since sanctions were imposed, there is a textbook for every child. Implemented by the Iraqi Ministry of Education through the World Bank Iraq Trust Fund, the Emergency Textbook Provision Project is financing the printing and distribution of 69 million textbooks for 6 million students in Iraq's primary and secondary schools. To date, the Ministry reports that about 95% of the textbooks for primary and secondary schools have been delivered.
Amman, December 21, 2004 - The World Bank signed a $20 million grant agreement with Iraq's Minister of water Resources on December 19, 2004 to finance an Emergency Community Infrastructure Project. Funded by the World Bank Iraq Trust Fund, the project will finance labor-intensive water supply, sanitation, and irrigation rehabilitation in rural areas, with emphasis on increasing involvement of communities in these works. (Press Release).
December 6, 2004 - Iraq Receives $145 million for Reconstruction and Development from World Bank Trust Fund - The World Bank signed three grant agreements with representatives from the Interim Iraqi government for reconstruction and development projects in Iraq totaling $145 million. Financed by the World Bank's Iraq Trust Fund, $90 million will be channeled to emergency projects in health, water supply and sanitation, and reconstruction in urban centers. The remaining $55 million will be used to strengthen the financial and private sectors, of which $40 million will finance the building of a modern telecommunications network across the country (see Press Release).
October 13-14, 2004 - Third IRFFI Donor Meeting is held in Tokyo - The third meeting of the IRFFI donors was held in Tokyo at the invitation of the Government of Japan. This was the first meeting of the donors since the handover of authority to the Iraqi Interim Government in June. A total of 57 countries and institutions attended the meeting, under the chairmanship of Ambassador Shirota of Japan. In his keynote speech, Deputy Prime Minsiter Dr. Saleh described the Iraqi Interim Government's vision of Iraq as a prosperous, peaceful and democratic country, with a fully accountable government that would be integrated into the international community (see National Development Strategy and Keynote Address). In his speech "One Year Since Madrid", Minister of Planning and Development Cooperation, and Chairman of the Iraqi Strategic Review Board, Dr. Al-Hafedh, emphasized that although there was still a way to go, the Iraqi people had witnessed considerable progress to date. (more)
October 13, 2004 - The Islamic Republic of Iran joins IRFFI Donor Committee with a firm commitment to contribute US$10 million - With Iran joining, IRFFI now has 24 donors who have pledged funds to IRFFI. Of these, 17 serve on the Donor Committee.
October 13, 2004 - Iraq and World Bank sign Agreement to Build and Repair Schools - Dr. Mehdi Al-Hafedh, Iraq's Minister of Planning and Development Cooperation and Mr. Christiaan Poortman, World Bank Vice President for Middle East and North Africa, sign grant agreement for US$60 million Emergency School Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Project for Iraq. (See Project Document). |
