Iraq

Water training centre - Basra, Iraq

Water training centre - Basra, Iraq.

Iraq is a comparatively wealthy country, with revenues estimated to exceed $60 billion in 2008, and has the resources to fund its own reconstruction and development. However, years of dictatorial government have left its infrastructure run down and dilapidated and prevented Iraq from building the institutions and experience to successfully manage the business of government and deliver effective services and employment to its people. We are therefore supporting the Government to spend its money effectively to deliver services, create jobs and provide stability for the Iraqi people.

Key facts

Population:	28.9 million
Average life expectancy:	58 years
Average per capita income:	US$3,536
Total UK aid received (2008/09):	£337.5m

Find out more in Key facts: Iraq

Major challenges

DFID's main challenges:

building Iraqi institutions
stimulate economic growth
support displaced people.

Find out more in Major challenges: Iraq

How we have helped

Changing the lives of Iraq's vulnerable women

Seventy-year-old Jubaira was widowed during the Iraq conflict. Left to look after her traumatised son alone, she faced destitution - until a DFID-backed humanitarian agency gave her the chance to improve her income.

Better Basra: Getting clean water to southern Iraq

Making sure that the people of Iraq have clean water is essential, but the infrastructure for this is badly lacking: the country’s pipes, pumps and purifiers are often old, damaged and unreliable. In the city of Basra, the situation is especially serious.

More case studies

Iraq on DFID Bloggers

Encouraging foreign investment to Iraqopens in a new window

posted 20 May 2009

It’s been a hectic couple of months in Basra (you may have noticed I’ve not posted recently). The big story has been the drawdown of the British military from the province. I’ll write about that in a future post...