Iraq

GIZ local staff

National employees: 486
International employees: 107
Development workers: 4

_{(as at: 31.12.2023)}  

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH has been working in Iraq since 2014. A country office opened in Baghdad in 2018.

Earlier conflicts in the region, particularly those caused by the self-styled Islamic State (IS), continue to put strain on Iraq. Almost one million Iraqis remain displaced in their own country. In addition, there are approximately 260,000 Syrian refugees living in camps and host communities in northern Iraq. In total, around 2.5 million people in Iraq were dependent on humanitarian assistance in 2023.

In many regions of Iraq, the security situation remains unstable. This makes it difficult for internally displaced people to return. There is a lack of income-generating opportunities, and local administrations are barely able to provide public services.

The country is in an economic crisis. Economic instability, inflation, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, dependence on oil and a heavily subsidised public sector are driving the crisis. There is a lack of prospects for young people and returnees, in particular.

The impacts of climate change are also being felt more and more, and Iraq is one of the most heavily affected countries in the world. Heat, water shortages and parched soils are affecting agriculture and contributing to resource conflicts and climate migration.

GIZ’s activities in Iraq are implemented primarily on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union (EU). Its priority areas are:

• Economic development and employment
• Reconstruction and peacebuilding
• Good governance

For example, GIZ is providing support to improve economic conditions in the country through further education and training in central Iraq and in the autonomous region of Kurdistan and is assisting young Iraqis in finding a job. Since 2018, almost 71,000 Iraqis, around 45 per cent of them women, have found a job or temporary employment. 50.000 people have participated in training.

GIZ supports refugees, internally displaced people and host communities in Iraq in improving their living conditions. It achieves this by providing training courses, grants and psychosocial support. The aim here is to promote social cohesion, create income opportunities and revitalise the local economy.

In order to ensure that Iraqis have better access to public services, GIZ is also supporting the Iraqi Government with administrative decentralisation. To do so, it provides advisory services aimed at improving organisation and work processes.

GIZ also promotes climate adaptation in agriculture, local drinking water supply and water utilisation. Dialogue formats foster discussions relating to climate and security.