Germany/KfW and UNOPS sign a new agreement in support of local communities in Sinjar, Iraq

With the support from the German Government, through the KfW Development Bank, UNOPS will rehabilitate war-damaged shelters and infrastructure such as water stations as well as provide capacity building training to relevant stakeholders in Sinjar. To contribute even more responsibility to Iraq’s context, stakeholders will involve intensely women during the implementation process, and whenever possible, also include climate-friendly components to the designs. 

Roland Westebbe, Chargé d’Affaires of the German Embassy in Iraq  said: “The new project marks an important milestone in the highly successful cooperation between the German and Iraqi governments. I am pleased that this strong partnership has endured for the past five years and throughout the three phases of the “Local Infrastructure in Rural Anbar” project. I hope to have the opportunity to witness firsthand the progress and achievements of this project, supporting the Iraqi people as they rebuild their lives.“ 

Marc-Andre Hensel, Director of KfW in Iraq stated: “In 2020 we started our collaboration with UNOPS, signing the first financing agreement for the “Local Infrastructure in Rural Anbar” project. It is great to see that the project has been a success, despite all the challenges. Many rural areas in Iraq still lag behind and it is quite obvious in Sinjar which is possibly one of those areas that are least developed in Iraq overall and are in need of a lot of support. This project is about helping people to return from the camps and from displacement back to their original places and to have a place to start from.”

“Today marks another significant milestone in UNOPS partnership with the German Government and KfW Development Bank, underlining our common commitment to sustainable development in conflict-affected areas.” said Anil Chandrika, UNOPS Country Manager in Iraq. “Building on the successes of previous LIRA projects in Anbar and Ninewa, the new intervention will enhance the living standards of community members, fostering their resilience, especially in the hard-hit district of Sinjar.” he added.

The project intends to contribute to SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, and SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

About KfW:

KfW Development Bank has been supporting the German Government to achieve its goals in development policy and international development cooperation for more than 50 years.  KfW is an experienced bank and a development institution with financing expertise, an expert knowledge of development policy and many years of national and international experience. 

On behalf of the German Government, KfW finances and supports programmes and projects that mainly involve public sector players in developing countries and emerging economies – from their conception and execution to monitoring their success. KfW's goal is to help partner countries fight poverty, maintain peace, protect both the environment and the climate and shape globalisation in an appropriate way.

About UNOPS: 

UNOPS offers practical solutions to the UN and other partners, across peace and security, humanitarian and development operations. UNOPS mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development. We help the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, and deliver sustainable infrastructure and procurement in an efficient way. Read more: www.unops.org

UNOPS Operational Hub in Amman implements projects in Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen and implements work in partnership with bilateral and multilateral donors, national governments and other UN agencies.