Iraq

While Iraq continues to face significant challenges it is a middle income country with huge potential.

DFID will continue its programme during 2011/12 but plans to close its bilateral operations in March 2012.

The programme focuses on three areas:

• Working at the centre of government to help it to manage its income more effectively and efficiently to deliver services for its people
• Encouraging a vibrant private sector to boost investment, household incomes and employment opportunities
• Equipping young Iraqis with the professional skills to gain employment and encourage enterprise through higher education links

DFID will continue to support the most vulnerable Iraqis during 2011 through our contribution to UNICEF’s humanitarian campaign made in 2010/11.  And we will continue to deliver development results in Iraq beyond the office closure through core funding to multilateral organisations like the World Bank, the UN and the European Union and through funding for an IMF technical adviser and support for demining.

The UK Government's Conflict Pool will continue to support stabilisation and conflict prevention work.