The roots of solidarity, cooperation, and partnership between Italy and Iraq trace back to the Treaty of Friendship, Partnership, and Cooperation of 2007, which established Italy’s commitment to fostering Iraq’s social and economic growth, with particular focus on women, youth, and vulnerable groups.
Italy finances programs and projects implemented by international organizations and civil society organizations, which operate through networks involving public and private sector actors. Since 2019, Iraq has been among the priority countries for Italian development cooperation in the Middle East. Key areas of intervention include supporting the stabilization of areas liberated from ISIS, Protecting Iraq’s cultural heritage, Promoting sustainable development in Iraq’s social, economic, and environmental sectors including interventions in providing support in the health, education, and entrepreneurship sectors, and most recently addressing the impacts of climate change and environmental protection.
In response to humanitarian crises, several emergency and resilience-building interventions have been approved, focusing on sectors such as health, education, protection, and livelihoods. These interventions aim to improve access to essential services, enhance service quality and inclusivity, increase household incomes, and expand employment opportunities.
Italian cooperation also supports the safe and dignified return of displaced Iraqis through targeted funding.
Italy’s development cooperation activities in Iraq are planned and implemented in coordination with the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), which has had a presence in the region through its program offices in Baghdad (established in 2023) and Erbil (established in 2013).
For more information about development cooperation activities, visit the AICS Amman website, which covers Italian cooperation initiatives in Iraq.