To strengthen Iraq’s capacity for resisting militia and foreign influence, Washington should keep supporting the campaign to remake the military one commander at a time. On September 13, Iraqi Shia leader Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani issued a statement calling on the government to ensure fair elections in 2021, secure the country’s borders, establish state control
Read MoreEXECUTIVE SUMMARY As Iraq emerges from nearly four years of conflict and displacement, the security context remains unstable in many parts of the country. The COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020 brought fresh challenges, including closed borders, curfews and restrictions on movement. Forecasts predict a negative impact on livelihoods and employment, with the economy expected to
Read MoreThe economy of Iraq is mostly oil-dependent as oil revenues contribute to over two-thirds of the GDP and nearly most of the exports and government revenues. Investment in the oil sector has reached 66% of the total expenditure investment in 2017. The GDP of Iraq in 2019 has reached USD 234.09 Billion with an annual growth of 4.401%. The unemployment rate is 10.26% in men while
Read MoreAhead of our forthcoming second report on Iraq’s water resources, we spoke with Eckart Woertz, Director at the GIGA Institute of Middle East Studies and Professor for contemporary history and politics of the Middle East at the University of Hamburg. In 2014, Dr. Woertz published Oil for Food: The Global Food Crisis and the Middle East. A detailed analysis of the political ec
Read MoreThe Iraq Index is a statistical compilation of economic, public opinion, and security data. This resource will provide updated information on various criteria, including crime, telephone and water service, troop fatalities, unemployment, Iraqi security forces, oil production, and coalition troop strength. The index is designed to quantify the rebuilding efforts and offer an
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