Talks Held with German Agency for International Cooperation on Governance Reform

The Ministry of Planning, in cooperation with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), held a consultative session on Thursday 12th February to discuss a proposed guideline aimed at strengthening inclusive local governance in Iraq. The initiative is part of efforts to modernise local administration alongside enhancing institutional and service performance in the governorates.

Director General of the Government Investment Programs Department, Tahseen Mahmoud Muthanna, stressed the importance of boosting local governance frameworks, as well as improving coordination between different levels of government to enhance planning and implementation efficiency. He said the project targets five governorates; Nineveh, Anbar, Diwaniyah, Muthanna and Wasit, and has helped improve public service procedures with GIZ support.

Jassim Hakim Hussein, Director of the Local and Development Policies Department at the High Commission for Coordination among Governorates, said governance is a key pillar for improving service quality, reinforcing transparency, accountability, and supporting decentralisation in line with the Constitution and Governorates Law No. 21 of 2008.

The session also reviewed the guideline’s objectives and implementation mechanisms, including a presentation on the Ministry’s new Inclusive Local Governance Unit. Officials from relevant ministries, governorates and institutions attended the meeting.

Source: Ministry of Planning