IOM, Japan to address instability, fragility in locations of displacement in Iraq
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Government of Japan launched an innovative project that aims to address the drivers of instability and fragility in locations of displacement and return in Iraq in order to build more resilient communities and improve trust and confidence in government institutions a press release issued by IOM said.
“Japan has recently decided a new assistance package for Iraq amounting to USD 63 million, including this project as a contribution to achieving a peaceful society and economic development in Iraq under a new approach of integrating security and development initiatives. With this package, the total amount of Japan’s assistance to the people affected by the crisis reaches USD 500 million,” Naofumi Hashimoto, Ambassador of Japan to Iraq, said.
“In many of its key policy documents, the Government of Iraq recognizes the linkages between security and development, which is often referred to as the security-development nexus. This project will support the Government to operationalize this nexus by simultaneously and holistically addressing economic, social and security drivers of fragility in vulnerable communities,” IOM Chief of Mission in Iraq, Gerard Waite, said.
Between 2018-2019, with the support of the Government of Japan, IOM trained local government and civil society partners on ways to mitigate tensions and rebuild relations in communities in areas of return. IOM also partnered with different Iraqi universities to better understand Iraq’s cycle of conflict and violence and identify ways in which the cycle can be broken.