Iraq's forthcoming National Development Plan: a critical review
Iraq's forthcoming National Development Plan (NDP) for 2024-2028 is a comprehensive 260-page document aimed at charting the country's developmental trajectory. The plan primarily emphasizes private sector development and the enhancement of human capital, yet it falls short in detailing improvements to governance mechanisms, a critical area for sustainable development.
Iraq’s previous NDP ran until 2022, and there have been ongoing delays in finalizing the new NDP. Iraq Horizons has reviewed an April draft of the NDP, which is expected to be formally adopted within the coming weeks.
The NDP highlights seven key aspects of governance reform: decentralization, public participation, anti-corruption, improving institutional performance, rule of law and human rights, political stability and societal peace, and improving services based on needs. However, it notably lacks specific strategies for achieving these reforms. For instance, while the plan proposes a decentralized model for health sector governance, it does not provide a clear strategy to implement such decentralization. This is particularly significant given Iraq's recent reversals in decentralization, especially in the health and education sectors, and the ongoing resistance from federal entities like the Finance Ministry.