Washington, DC - Over $2 billion in new money has been pledged for the people of Iraq in response to Da’esh’s campaign of tyranny that has resulted in enormous suffering, deprivation, and devastation for the Iraqi people. To help address the grave conditions faced by those displaced in Iraq, the international community has surged forward to provide desperately needed humanitarian support such as food, water, and shelter for those in need, and to help create the conditions that will allow the safe and voluntary return of displaced families to liberated areas as quickly as possible.
The foundations for long-term stability can be achieved if Iraq’s humanitarian crisis is alleviated and its citizens are able to return to their homes safely, with access to basic services, healthcare, and education, and hope for economic prosperity.
As a result of the conference, led by the co-hosts Canada, Germany, Japan, Kuwait, The Netherlands, and the United States, the international community mobilized to meet near-term funding requirements for Iraq in four critical-need areas:
- humanitarian assistance;
- demining;
- UNDP’s Funding Facility for Immediate Stabilization;
- UNDP’s new Funding Facility for Expanded Stabilization (FFES), endorsed by Prime Minister Abadi to provide pivotal, medium-term stabilization initiatives to foster resiliency and recovery in Da’esh liberated areas.
The humanitarian assistance raised yesterday primarily supports United Nations agencies operating in Iraq, as well as other international organizations and non-governmental organizations. Through these organizations, the international community has provided resources for assistance to every governorate in Iraq, helping people who need it most—ultimately saving lives and alleviating human suffering amid daily threats of violence from Da’esh. The stabilization pledges generated through this initiative will contribute meaningfully to longer-term reconciliation efforts within Iraq, the success of which is vital for the country’s longer-term stability and recovery from Da’esh oppression.
The donors that gathered remain committed to assisting Iraq, and strongly urge all governments, organizations, and individuals to support the lifesaving efforts of the UN and its funds and agencies, in addition to other humanitarian partners. We are particularly gratified by the presence at yesterday’s conference of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and welcome its efforts to broaden advocacy efforts on behalf of the Iraqi people.
As donors, we remain cognizant as well that success on the battlefield enacts a disproportionate toll on the civilian population. The United Nations announced July 20 that it will require an additional $284 million in order to plan for the humanitarian impact of Mosul’s liberation, while far more will likely be needed to mitigate this challenge as Da’esh is defeated in Mosul. We therefore hope the results of the initiative allow donors to more speedily align their pledged contributions against elements of the United Nations latest appeal.
While not a comprehensive listing of the pledges tabled during the event, the following highlights signal achievements of the Pledging Conference in Support of Iraq. The list excludes 2017 and 2018 commitments from those donors not able to specify publicly their out-year programming.
Conference Highlights:
Responsive and Robust Humanitarian Assistance Pledges
A total of 26 donors pledged contributions totaling more than $590 million for humanitarian assistance in support of Iraq, through bilateral and multilateral channels. These funds will support the needs identified in the United Nations 2016 Humanitarian Response Plan for Iraq, in addition to other organizations providing aid in Iraq and the region, and lay the groundwork for a more effective international response to the anticipated humanitarian challenges attendant to the Mosul campaign.
Support for Stabilization Programming
Fourteen nations announced new funding for critical stabilization programming in Iraq, pledging more than $350 million. An even larger number of countries made additional pledges totaling $125 million for UNDP’s Funding Facility for Immediate Stabilization, a significant advance towards meeting the $180 million requirement identified by the United Nations for 2017.
Dedicated Funds for Humanitarian Demining Activities
More than ten nations made over $80 million in new pledges for demining efforts in Iraq. This support will provide approximately three-quarters of the total amount of funding the United Nations estimates is required for one year of demining activities in Iraq.
Launching the Funding Facility For Expanded Stabilization
The United States was the first major donor, with $50 million, to pledge funding to the new UNDP Funding Facility for Expanded Stabilization. FFES facilitates recovery and resilience in Da’esh liberated areas, providing project-specific funding to support rehabilitation of facilities to restore critical, public services and create jobs. The UN estimates that teaching colleges, hospitals, and universities eligible for FFES support will be able to employ an estimated 17,000 to 20,000 people in each of the areas previously devastated by Da’esh.
Long-Term Commitment to the People of Iraq
In addition to securing immediate funds for near-term humanitarian needs and critical stabilization programming, the Pledging Conference in Support of Iraq secured more than $200 million in commitments for 2017 and 2018 to address demining, stabilization and humanitarian needs. This funding pipeline provides international organizations and NGOs with the flexibility and programing safety-net required to address unforeseen humanitarian crises or respond rapidly to evolving stabilization challenges.
