Shafaq News/ Born from the Tishreen protests, the Dhi Qar ReconstructionFund, with hundreds of millions of dollars in funding, was established torebuild the “disaster-stricken” province in southern Iraq. Despite overseeingnumerous projects, the fund is now facing corruption allegations, with somelawmakers accusing its management of financial violations.
Tishreen Protests and Dhi Qar Fund
The Tishreen protests, which erupted in October 2019, were a directresponse to Iraq's reportedly deteriorating conditions, including widespreadcorruption, unemployment, human rights violations, and demands to removecorrupt political factions and reject foreign interference. These protestsquickly gained momentum, mobilizing millions across the country for politicalchange.
Under mounting public pressure, the government of Prime Minister AdilAbd Al-Mahdi resigned, and the Iraqi parliament was compelled to enact urgentreforms aimed at quelling public anger. These measures included plans to amendthe Constitution and Electoral Law, as well as reducing the salaries ofofficials. However, the protests were met with violent clashes between securityforces and demonstrators, leading to thousands of casualties.
In response to the aftermath of the protests, the Iraqi Council ofMinisters, under PM Mustafa Al-Kadhimi’s government, declared Dhi Qar a“disaster-stricken province.” During an extraordinary session in 2020, thegovernment announced the establishment of the Dhi Qar Reconstruction Fund,aiming to rebuild the province and address the challenges it faced followingthe upheaval of Tishreen.
A Budget of Over $900M
The Dhi Qar Reconstruction Fund has spent over one trillion Iraqi dinars(about $767 million) since its establishment in 2020, implementing hundreds ofprojects across the province, a source familiar with the matter told ShafaqNews Agency.
"The budget of the Dhi Qar Fund has reached 1.25 trillion Iraqidinars ($950 million)," the source said, adding that the amount has beenallocated and spent over the past four years.
The fund has overseen 400 service projects in Dhi Qar, completing 250 sofar, the source said. "Efforts are ongoing to complete the remaining 150projects soon.”
Corruption Allegations
Iraqi MP Vian Dakhil, a member of the Parliamentary Integrity Committee,has sharply criticized the management of the Dhi Qar Fund after its head,Mohammed Jawad, was questioned over allegations of corruption and misuse ofpublic funds in its projects.
"The questioning came after receiving reports from the FederalBoard of Supreme Audit (FBSA) indicating financial violations in contracts,where an additional 10% is added to the value of each project," Dakhilstated to our agency. She further noted that "many of the contractingcompanies lack experience, financial capability, or guarantee letters."
Dakhil confirmed that Jawad had "questioned the validity of thesereports," prompting the Integrity Committee to schedule another session tohear both sides and uncover the truth. "The committee will complete itsinvestigation and submit a report to the Parliament Presidency for review…Itwill then be sent to the Prime Minister," she explained. "The casewill be referred to the judiciary if necessary."
Unjustified Targeting
Dhi Qar MPs condemned what they described as an "unjustifiedtargeting" of the fund. They voiced strong support for Iraqi Parliamentoversight bodies, particularly the Integrity Committee while emphasizing theimportance of addressing any potential issues through legal processes.
"We support all efforts aimed at identifying shortcomings andcorruption within the fund's operations, provided that they adhere to legal andconstitutional mechanisms," the MPs explained.
Reaffirming their backing for the fund's activities, the MPs highlightedits role in improving the province, calling it a key achievement for the peopleof Al-Nasiriyah, Dhi Qar's capital. "The fund must receive support, asendorsed by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani," the MPs pointed out,affirming their commitment to resolve any related issues.
Moreover, they urged authorities to follow up on FBSA reports, whichthey believe can identify potential problems, emphasizing that any concernsraised by other lawmakers should be addressed directly with Dhi Qarrepresentatives. “We respect the privacy of other provinces, and others shoulddo the same.”
Political and Economic Motives
The mayor of Dhi Qar's Al-Fajr district, Mehdi Al-Morshidi, hasdenounced recent attacks on the fund, particularly from MPs outside theprovince. These lawmakers, he said, have made preemptive remarks despite nevervisiting Dhi Qar during their political careers. "These criticisms stemfrom political and economic motives and do not aim to benefit Dhi Qar or itspeople," Al-Morshidi told our agency.
Al-Morshidi highlighted the positive changes brought by the fund,pointing to significant improvements in services, infrastructure, healthcare,and even security. "Everyone has witnessed the transformation," hesaid. "For instance, 85% of the projects in Al-Fajr district and Maysalunsubdistrict are funded by the Dhi Qar Reconstruction Fund."
He further noted that the fund has provided drinking water to areas morethan 30 kilometers from the district center for the first time, withinfrastructure in the city center now 95% complete. "By 2025, the districtwill have 100% integrated infrastructure," the mayor added, stressing thatwithout the fund, "Al-Fajr would have been among the forgotten cities."
"Why are such statements being made now?" he asked, raisingconcerns about the timing of the criticism, particularly in light of theupcoming 2025 budget approval. "There are intentions to push Dhi Qarbackward by controlling its resources and marginalizing its people, who have sacrificedtheir lives to preserve Iraq's unity and sanctities from north to south,without discrimination between ethnicities or sects,” he clarified.
Extortion
Former MP Abdul-Amir Al-Taiban defended Dhi Qar's fund, calling it"a rightful achievement, earned through the pure blood and efforts of MPsfrom the fourth parliamentary term." He commended its management for"excelling in implementing, monitoring, and completing projects withinrecord timeframes."
Al-Taiban stressed the responsibility of Dhi Qar's people and MPs insafeguarding the fund from external pressures and extortion, which he describedas “a widespread scourge hindering the successful and dedicated efforts."
"We will not allow any entity to target the fund's management.”