Iraq’s planning ministry and the World Bank held discussions on the status of projects funded by the Iraq Reform, Recovery and Reconstruction Fund (I3RF)

I3RF was founded by the World Bank in partnership with the Government of Iraq in 2018 and is funded by Canada, Germany, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Abdul-Zahra Al-Hindawi, a spokesperson for the ministry, told Zawya Projects that there are 25 projects under I3RF split between direct World Bank oversight and joint implementation with the planning Ministry. He said the projects include water, health, education, construction and energy.

Al-Hindawi said the objective behind the meetings is to prepare a progress report that will also identify the problems facing some of the stalled projects and interventions needed from the Ministry of Planning and the World Bank to complete.

The meetings also discussed the status of the bank-executed Area-Based Approach (ABA) project for the reconstruction of Iraq’s urban centres, starting with Mosul as a pilot. The government counterparts include Reconstruction Fund for Areas Affected by Terrorist Operations (ReFAATO); Governorates Project Management Teams, the Planning and the Finance ministries.

(Reporting by Majda Muhsen; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@lseg.com)