Sida's work in Iraq
Following a decision by the Swedish government, Sida has ended the development cooperation in Iraq by 30 June 2025. Swedish development cooperation has contributed to the country's long-term development in the areas of peace and democracy, climate and the environment, and has contributed to greater respect for human rights and gender equality. It has also been used to building up important public services.
Sida's development cooperation in Iraq has ended
Sida’s development cooperation in Iraq has contributed to reducing poverty and creating better conditions for democratic development and increased respect for human rights. Gender equality, adaptation to climate change and work for sustainable peace have been important areas. All programmes and projects were phased out before 30 June 2025.
Here you can see examples of programmes and projects that Sida has supported within its development cooperation in Iraq.
Sida has contributed to strengthening people’s rights and opportunities to live together in peace, and to finding long-term solutions for those who are displaced both within and outside the country. Rebuilding destroyed infrastructure and ensuring that all people have access to public services have been important areas of focus. Here are some examples of projects and programmes that Sida has supported.
Sida’s support to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Funding Facility for Stabilisation (FFS) programme has contributed to improving and restoring a functioning legal system. In Ninewa, police stations and courts were refurbished thanks to contributions from Sida. The police were able to return to the area and the army withdrew. Within the project, Sida has also supported women who run businesses so that they have been able to rebuild and develop their businesses after the war.
Return and migration
Through the FFS programme, Sida has also helped people return to their homes by building new and restoring schools, health clinics, water systems and electricity grids. FFS is present in all regions that have been occupied by IS.
The UN agenda for women, peace and security means that UN member states are obliged to have an action plan for women, peace and security. Sida has supported the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), government actors and civil society to increase women’s participation in conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
The Swedish development cooperation has contributed to support for civil society organisations that have provided psychosocial support to girls and women living as refugees in their own country. Preventing young people at risk from being recruited into armed groups has been another part of the support.
Iraq is one of the most mine-covered countries in the world. In addition to killing and injuring people, mined agricultural land, roads and water sources prevent people from returning to their homes.
Sida, Sweden has provided support for national mine clearance and training in how to avoid mines through the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS).
Sweden’s development cooperation in Iraq has focused on democratic development, decentralisation (moving decision-making and power closer to the people), respect for human rights, strengthening civil society and independent media.
Sida has also supported programmes and projects to reduce corruption and increase people’s participation and influence in politics. Preventing sexual and gender-based violence and strengthening the rights of women and girls have been other important areas, as has increasing women’s economic empowerment through changing structures, norms and attitudes.
Here are some examples of programmes and projects that Sida has supported:
Sida has collaborated with Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) to help strengthen civil society so that people living in poverty can join forces and hold those responsible in government institutions to account.
Thanks to this support, civil society has gained greater influence over political decisions, with women and young people in particular gaining greater influence in decision-making. Issues that Sida has supported include ID documents for internally displaced persons, new legislation on anti-discrimination and freedom.
Sida has also collaborated with International Media Support (IMS) in Iraq on human rights, democracy, the rule of law and gender equality, and has provided support to civil society and independent media in Iraq.
Through Sida, Sweden has collaborated with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to improve human rights legislation and the national population data system, which is central to rights-based policy.
Through UNFPA, Sweden’s aid has contributed to more women and girls gaining access to healthcare and stronger rights. The aid has also been used to prevent gender-based violence and given more women and young people the opportunity to become politically involved and demand democratic space.
Sida has collaborated with SALAR (SKR) to strengthen provincial administration, contribute to increased local participation and greater transparency. Support for Global Partnership Governance (GPG) has contributed to increased capacity within the Iraqi parliament in areas such as national strategies, policies, transparency and local participation.
Sida has contributed to strengthening people’s resilience to climate change, protecting ecosystems, sustainable use of natural resources and increased access to renewable energy.
Here are some examples of programmes and projects that Sida has supported:
Around 80 per cent of Iraq’s water resources are used in agriculture. Through the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), Swedish aid has helped farmers in southern Iraq to increase their harvests while using less water, which is of central importance given the severe water shortage in the country.
Sida has also supported the FAO’s cooperation with experts in the country to provide advice and support to farmers. Strengthening institutions responsible for water management and the distribution of water resources are other areas that Sida has supported.
Untreated wastewater from households and drainage water from agriculture, as well as inadequate management of latrines, pollute water in Iraq. Through the UN agency World Food Programme (WFP), Sida has supported a programme in which polluted water is treated using a nature-based solution. Instead of building a traditional treatment plant, water has been purified using plants in a wetland area, which is less costly.
Iraq’s domestic electricity production is almost exclusively based on fossil fuels. For Iraq to be able to transition to electricity production based on renewable energy, it needs solid knowledge of the latest developments in renewable energy.
Through the World Bank, Sida has supported the establishment of a Centre of Excellence in Renewable Energy at Baghdad University, including teacher training, curriculum development, network building and cooperation with the private sector.
Through support for the Water and Energy for Food (WE4F) call for proposals fund, aid has been provided to Iraqi entrepreneurs working on technical solutions related to the agricultural sector. The entrepreneurs’ activities are intended to reduce the use of water and non-renewable energy.
- Statistics number of people living as refugees in the country on UNOCHA website
- Corruption Index on Transparency Internationals website
- Gender equality in Iraq in the Gender Gap Report 2022 on the We Forum website
- Proportion of women in the Iraqi Parliament on the UN website
- Impact of climate change in Iraq on Reliefweb.
- Statistics on IDPs who have been able to return to their homes on the Internal Displacement website
- Statistics on the number of people living as refugees in the country on the UNOCHA website
- Statistics number of people living as refugees in the country on the UNOCHA website
- Statistics on mines in Iraq on the UNMAS website
- Situation of gender equality in Iraq in the Gender Gap Report 2022 on the We Forum website
- Statistics on the number of women at risk of gender-based violence in Iraq on Reliefweb.
- Severe water shortage and severe drought in Iraq on Reliefweb.
Updated: August 13, 2025