The murder of a popular scholar could galvanize opposition to militias backed by Iran. For Iraq, the murder of a well-known scholar in Baghdad is a tragedy that stands out from an abundance of adversity. For Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, it is also a leadership test — and just possibly, a political opportunity. The scholar, Husham al-Hashimi, was shot dead
Read MoreBy y Safa Fadhil, Head of Exploration and Sundus Abass, Gender Advisor at UNDP Iraq - June 21, 2020, 6:00 PM CDT Iraq's This year marks the 20th anniversary of the UN Security Council (UNSCR) Resolution 1325, which helps to ensure women are on the frontlines of achieving stability and peace in Iraq. With this in mind, UNDP Iraq’s Accelerator Lab and Gender Division
Read MoreIraq's With the Western-leaning, reformist agenda of Iran President, Hassan Rouhani, neutered by the unilateral withdrawal of the U.S. from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in 2018, hardline groups led by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) have been able to gradually recoup all of their previous power and influence, and more. The additional part has been a defi
Read MoreDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Ali Allawi held a brief press conference that painted a sobering picture about Iraq’s current financial situation. The presser came after an extraordinary cabinet meeting that debated Iraq’s strategy to face the current financial crisis and the measures to combat it, focusing largely on public sector reform and the development of
Read MoreAcknowledgments The Middle East and Central Asia Regional Economic Outlook (REO) Update is prepared each spring by the IMF’s Middle East and Central Asia Department (MCD). The analysis and projections contained in the REO are integral elements of the Department’s surveillance of economic developments and policies in member countries. It draws primarily on information gath
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