ReliefWeb

Baghdad, 29 November 2020 – The Government of Norway has contributed NOK 70,000,000 (US$7.7 million) to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Iraq’s Funding Facility for Stabilization (FFS), which supports stabilization and the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the five governorates liberated from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as Da’esh).

This is Norway’s twelfth contribution to FFS, bringing the country’s total contribution to $56.2 million.

“We are grateful to Norway for this timely additional contribution to the FFS, which was recently extended until 2023 due to the urgent priorities that remain in liberated areas. Under this extension, we will see a greater focus on areas with the hardest-to-return populations to facilitate more returns, as well as additional emphasis on sustainable livelihood activities and sustainability concerns,” says the UNDP Resident Representative for Iraq, Zena Ali Ahmad.

“Since 2015, Norway has been an invaluable partner to UNDP Iraq, and we are extremely grateful for its continued commitment to peace and stability in Iraq, as the country continues to reel from the devastation of the ISIL conflict,” she adds.

Norwegian Ambassador to Jordan and Iraq, Ambassador Tone Allers said: “I am highly impressed by the work that the UNDP is doing in Iraq. The FFS secures not only a lasting development and stabilization of Iraq through the rehabilitation of areas demolished in the ISIL conflict, but also ensures the possibility for many Iraqis to return to their homes in a safe, sustainable and dignified manner. I have myself seen how critical this is for bringing peace and a better future to the Iraqis, and Norway is proud to continue our support for the UNDP and FFS in this work.”

Established in June 2015, FFS works in the five liberated governorates of Anbar, Diyala, Kirkuk, Ninewa and Salah Al-Din. To date, UNDP has mobilized $1.3 billion from 27 donors and partners, and from the Government of Iraq, and has provided more than 10 million Iraqis with improved infrastructure and services, under critical sectors such as electricity, housing, health, water, education, sewerage, livelihoods, municipalities, roads and bridges, capacity support and social cohesion. It has assisted 4.7 million IDPs to return home.

Media contact:

Fay Daoud, Communications Specialist | fay.daoud@undp.org | +964 7801 976 460

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