Baghdad – Under the Patronage of the First Deputy Speaker of Council of Representatives Mr. Hassan Al-Kabai, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) organized and facilitated a consultation session with the Council of Representatives (CoR), to exchange visions and objectives on the roles and current capacities of the Council to implement, monitor and finance Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Iraq.

72 Parliament Members, Governmental Counselors, Representatives from the Ministry of Planning, and academics engaged on the preparation process of Iraq’s Voluntary National Reviews (VNR) attended the session. Participants went through the importance part of the CoR as an effective institution to implement SDGs and Agenda 2030 as well as discussed instruments which enable the Council to execute its legislative and supervisory role effectively and transparently in monitoring the implementation of SDGs, in a comprehensive and participatory manner in order to enhance and achieve national accountability.

Discussions underwent on how SDGs could be implemented through thematic governmental strategic and development plans, with a significant focus on the needed efforts and endeavors in this regard. This session came at a particular juncture, as Iraq will be presenting its first Voluntary National Reviews (VNR) at the High-Level Political Forum - 2019 to share its achievements and challenges during the implementation of Agenda 2030.

Mr. Alkaabi highlighted in his opening speech the important role that the Council should play in SDGs “the council had a critical part in prioritize the targets and indicators of SDGs with the necessary codes and legislations which will enhance legislative agenda of the council for the upcoming years”

Within the same context, Deputy Minister of Planning, Mr. Mahar Jawhan, indicated that “Iraq is taking vital steps in its efforts towards enforcing SDGs. we emphasize the influential support of the legislative and regulatory authority in this respect, in conjunction with the support of the decentralized administration in the process of raising awareness in the provinces, to acquire sustainability”.

With support of UNDP the Iraqi Government, , has developed its Vision 2030 that was aligned with SDG’s Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Government of Iraq has taken advanced steps to finalize its first VNR, with the purpose of targeting the most vulnerable groups, especially in most deprived and peripheral areas.

SDGs Project Manager- UNDP Ms. Sundus Abass said: “Compared to other developing countries, there are still some gabs including inclusion and private sector engagement that deserve attention. Those gaps stress the needs to consider inter-linkages between SDGs and the targets when setting priorities for development plans”. Adding that: “The implementation of the SDGs will be a generation challenge and this momentum is an opportunity to take advantage of the goals, to overcome the obstacles that prevents the eradication of poverty, for example, or improve the quality of life”.

The session concluded with recommendations for further technical meetings, with the support of UNDP, to establish a parliamentarian’s team to work with the high national committee on SDGs. The team will put a roadmap to improve 2030 legislations agenda and set goals and steps to strengthen capacities and to empower the parliamentarians to discourse their role in achieving SDGs targets and indicators.

For additional information, please contact:
Sundus Abbas, SDGs Focal point – UNDP Iraq (m): +964 (0) 780 197 6464