In my first article I discussed the risk of perpetual violence in Iraq and Syria fueled by both numerous non-state actors there and the increasingly authoritarian system in which they operate. This was followed by a more detailed look into the illicit economic activities of militias across Iraq and Syria. Leading on from this, this commentary will shift from an economic to a mo
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Iraq is heading to the early elections in October, promised by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi in response to the demand of the protestors, in the most uncertain situation of recent years. Moqtada al-Sadr, leader of the largest parliamentary bloc, has announced his decision to withdraw from the elections and has forbidden his followers to endorse or support any candidate. He
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When President Bush appointed former Secretary of State James Baker III as his envoy on Iraq’s debt on December 5, 2003, he called Baker’s job “a noble mission.” At the time, there was widespread concern about whether Baker’s extensive business dealings in the Middle East would compromise that mission, which is to meet with heads of state and persuade them to forgive the debts
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The impacts of the coronavirus pandemic in Iraq are devastating. With a population of over thirty-nine million, Iraq has totaled at least 1.5 million infections and over eighteen thousand deaths since the start of the pandemic. Like much of the Middle East, the vaccination effort in Iraq is progressing at an alarmingly slow rate—only 0.99 percent of Iraq’s population is fully v
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Washington DC, August 05, 2021—The World Bank Group has renewed its commitment to the continued support of Iraq, approving a new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) to form the basis of its 2022–2026 partnership with the country. The framework lays out the main development goals the World Bank Group aims to support in Iraq and proposes a series of strategic interventions to hel
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