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By targeting the most urgent and major infrastructure needs, UNDP continues to implement and develop programmes and projects
in the sectors of infrastructure and environment. UNDP understands the very serious environmental issues that confront
Iraq, including but not limited to air pollution, desertification, raw sewage in water-ways, hundreds of shipwrecks left over from
continuing conflict, destruction of the marshes, and threats to biodiversity. UNDP Iraq is preparing a complete environment survey
of the country together with other UN agencies as a preliminary for interventions. 2
Boualem Aktouf, Country Director
INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
UNDP strategy is to contribute to the country’s reconstruction, focusing on rehabilitating and modernizing the infrastructure, whilst also
building national capacities to up-to-date standards.
Two decades of war and sanctions have left Iraq’s infrastructure in a dilapidated and dysfunctional state. The effects of the recent war have
severely aggravated the problem as subsequent looting resulted in the loss of most assets that belonged to the institutions managing various
aspects of infrastructure. UNDP continues to implement and develop programmes and projects in the sectors of infrastructure and environment,
targeting the most urgent and major infrastructure needs in the areas of electricity, water sanitation and port access. Simultaneously,
UNDP is helping build the capacities of the new Iraqi authorities dealing with these issues by exposing them to international expertise, new technologies
and new systems, institution strengthening and restructuring, and assisting in the development of master plans for their sections.
In addition, UNDP understands the very serious environmental issues that confront Iraq, including but not limited to air pollution, desertification,
raw sewage in water-ways, hundreds of shipwrecks left over from continuing conflict, destruction of the marshes, and threats to biodiversity.
UNDP Iraq is preparing a complete environment survey of the country together with other UN agencies as a preliminary for interventions.
Environment projects already in development include the identification of the different pollutants in the Shatt Al-Arab, containing
them and eventually disposing of the source.
Specific areas of UNDP intervention are: electricity; dredging and wreck-removal; water and sanitation and health.
Electricity
UNDP’s largest undertaking in the country, the Electricity Network Rehabilitation Programme (ENRP) received some $850 million since 1997
under the Oil-for-Food Programme. Through ENRP, UNDP rebuilt and maintained power service in the governorates of Erbil, Dahuk, and
Sulaymaniyah, serving 3.6 million people, making that region the only part of the country that had reliable power service throughout the
war and up to the present. After the war in 2003, UNDP enlarged the programme to respond to additional needs across the country. Specific
initiatives include: emergency assistance for the electricity sector; rehabilitation of the national dispatch centre; rehabilitation of Iraqi power
plants; preparatory work for capacity building and distribution planning
Dredging and Wreck-removal
An estimated 280 shipwrecks—many from the first Gulf War over a decade ago—continue to prevent the Port of Az Zubayr effective use.
Many of the shipwrecks contain oil, toxic chemicals and unexploded ordnance, posing a severe potential environmental hazard and complicating
the wreck removal task. The World Bank/UNDG Needs Assessment of October 2003 identified the continuation of dredging activities
in and around Umm Qasr port as a first priority need of the ports and inland waterways sector. UNDP has been managing both dredging and
wreck removal work budgeted at $50.1 million and is anticipating additional funding. UNDP had succeeded in reducing major navigational
hazards in the port approach and clearing eight of the port’s berths for use by ships of 50,000 tons or more.
Water and Sanitation
UNDP’s strategic objective is to assist several major cities, according to the priorities set by the key partners such as the Ministry of Public Works
and Municipalities, in contributing to the development of master plans for potable and wastewater management and solid waste disposal, as well
as in rehabilitation and construction of key facilities.These projects will also include promotion and implementation of standards, IT management
and capacity building aimed at resolving policy issues,achieving sustainability through collection of revenues and advancing environment preservation.
In the cities considered, water production, storage capacity and the distribution network have to be thoroughly inspected.
Rehabilitation of Health Facilities
UNDP has been working in the rehabilitation of Public Health facilities in Iraq since 1998, and has fully renovated thirty buildings to date.The
rehabilitation of the Al-Kadhimiya Teaching Hospital in Baghdad is underway, and will include improvement of the hospital’s physical condition
and equipment. It is also aimed at helping improve public health and environmental conditions in the surrounding Al-Kadhimiya District
while creating local employment opportunities. A second project being undertaken in the same area is to completely renovate two large
Public Health Care Centres, which suffered neglect due to both lack of investment and substantial looting at the end of hostilities in 2003.
CONTACTS
Alia Al Dalli – alia.al-dalli@undp.org
PARTNERS
Some of our Partners working with
UNDP and the Government in Iraq
UNICEF
DFID
WB
Japan
1
UNDP Iraq Website Infrastructure and Environment Page: www.iq.undp.org/Infra.html; UNDP Iraq Country Office Document: Republic of Iraq, Ministry of Health, Neurosciences Hospital Letter;
2
http://www.iq.undp.org/Infra.html 129