Iraq Development Project
Private Sector Development Support Programme
This Programme is conceived and designed with Iraqi stakeholders (public and private) and other international stakeholders in an effort to create and enable an effective, coherent, and comprehensive framework for private sector development in Iraq at both the national and governorate levels. The programme aims at achieving: I) sustainable and increased employment opportunities; II) poverty reduction; III) the enhancement of the legal and regulatory framework which will allow an increase in sustained domestic and international investment; (IV) the development of a legal and regulatory framework designed to perpetuate an overall rational, coherent, and economic environment; and, (V)diversification as the basis of future economic growth in Iraq in a gender inclusive and environmentally sustainable manner.
At the upstream level, the Programme aims at improving the institutional environment at legal, regulatory, policy and administrative levels, to make way for sustainable private sector development over the long run.
This Programme represents a consolidated strategic approach on the part of the UN Country Team (UNCT) in response to the multi-sectoral, diverse challenges that are related to private sector development in Iraq. In this Programme the comparative advantages of six UN member agencies and two non-UN Sector members come together within an integrated management structure to deliver targeted and relevant support to the GoI. This pool of agencies is led by an overall Programme Director and a team of three high-level Programme Advisors channelling the institutional knowledge of the three UN leading agencies on private sector development: UNDP, ILO and UNIDO. In line with the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, a Programme Steering Committee (PSC) will supervise, monitor and facilitate the execution of the Programme. This PSC will be led by the Advisory Board of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMAB), which will also constitute the primary Iraqi counterpart for the Programme in its day-to-day operations.
UNIDO will contribute to the four following outputs of the Results Framework of the Programme:
Strengthening of National Capacities for PSD Policies
A comprehensive assessment and drafting of legislative, institutional and sectoral needs; building capacities on key policy issues for enterprise development; promotion of social dialogue; preparation of investment potential mappings and the Private Sector Development Strategy of Iraq.
Operational, Regulatory and Legislative Environment
Strengthening capacities of business development services and non-Bank Financial Institutions at the national level.
Local Economic Strategies and Plans
Support to local institutions in the production formulation of Local Economic Recovery (LER) strategies in harmony with Provincial Development Strategies (PSD).
Implementation of Pilot Projects
Implementation of pilot projects and support to the local governor's office and line ministries at the governorate-level to identify priorities and assist in implementing their programs in the industrial sector.
