Iraq: Endorsement of the “Iraq Housing Reconstruction Strategy” Hand in Hand with UN-Habitat’s Support [EN/AR]
On 25 June 2019, the Council of Ministers chaired by Prime Minister, His Excellency Mr. Adel AbdulMahdi, approved the National Housing Council’s recommendations proposed during its fifteenth meeting.
These recommendations included the approval of the “Iraq Housing Reconstruction and Housing Development Strategy in the Liberated Areas”, developed and finalized with support from the United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat). Ministries and relevant authorities have been tasked to coordinate with each other to prepare detailed procedures and an operational plan to initiate the implementation of the Strategy. The Council of Ministers also endorsed the National Programme’s Roadmap to increase, maintain and effectively manage the country’s housing stock. The Roadmap was prepared and presented by UN-Habitat in harmony with the Iraq Housing Reconstruction Strategy.
The Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers, His Excellency Mr. Hamid Al-Ghazi, expressed his “thanks and appreciation for UN-Habitat’s efforts in supporting the return of displaced persons, and in so doing, strengthening their resilience through rehabilitating houses in conflict-affected areas.”
Ms. Marta Ruedas, Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General/ Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator, mentioned “The United Nations is working with the Government of Iraq to create an environment where displaced families can return safely and rebuild their lives. The Housing Reconstruction Strategy is a critical guideline for rebuilding and development in Iraq, which tackles housing challenges faced by conflict-affected people and proposes practical solutions to achieve a better urban future.”
Dr. Erfan Ali, Regional Director of Arab States, UN-Habitat, highlighted the importance of approving the Housing Reconstruction Strategy in Iraq at this juncture. Dr. Ali explained that the Strategy will frame and direct the efforts of all stakeholders to accelerate the recovery of damaged houses through tried and tested approaches as well as best practices to provide adequate housing for those affected by the conflict. These measures include the rehabilitation of damaged houses, construction of low-cost housing units, and the upgrading of informal settlements through two main mechanisms: providing building materials to affected persons, and secondly, organizing and managing home loan schemes for affected persons.
For further information, please contact:
Alan Miran Communication Associate, UN-Habitat Iraq Email: alan.miran@un.org Mobile: + 964 750 342 7036 Website: unhabitat.org/iraq
