The Funding Facility for Stabilization (FFS) is an on-demand instrument of the Government of Iraq (GOI) to action its stabilisation priorities. Established in 2015 at the request of the GOI, supported by

international donors and managed by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the FFS is overseen by a Steering Committee, co-chaired by the Secretary-General of the Iraqi Council of Ministers and the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General/UNDP Resident Representative. Following the liberation of important areas of Iraq from the occupation of IS, the need for measures to attain post-conflict stabilisation was deemed to be urgent, both for immediate rehabilitation purposes and in facilitating the return of displaced people to their homes.

The FFS approach, therefore, is necessarily pragmatic and swift. The initial stabilisation teams are

mobilised within a few days of the declaration that a given city or area is safe. Working with local

authorities, they assess immediate needs with respect to necessary repair of infrastructure, giving especial priority to reliable access to basic services, such as water supply and electricity. The debris of conflict must also be removed, with a view to facilitating rehabilitation, transportation and enablement of residents to go about daily business without obstructions. Reopening of key buildings, such as those providing education and health care, also takes priority, as well as centres of public administration. In all of this, the employment of work brigades offers a beginning to the longer-term goals of economic reconstitution - including opportunities for secure employment - and full rehabilitation of infrastructure. Success in these areas then becomes the basis for the deep and lasting process of reconciliation and the renewal of a cohesive sense of community.

Key achievements of projects supported by the European Union:

• 1.3 million beneficiaries of EU funded projects.
• 2,320 students benefiting from rehabilitat­ed schools and universities. FFS is undertak­ing 18 EU funded projects rehabilitating ed­ucational institutions across two governorates.
• 943,027 people benefiting from restored access to electricity, particularly 194,157 people in the remote communities of West­ern Anbar and 603,770 people in Mo­sul. FFS is undertaking 19 EU-funded elec­tricity projects across three governorates.
• 123,000 people, including 65,900 women, have access to ameliorated healthcare facilities. FFS is undertaking seven EU funded health sector projects across Nineveh.
• 355 houses rehabilitated, enabling 2,250 people to come home with dignity. FFS is undertaking one EU funded housing sector project in the Nineveh Plains town of Bartella.
• 1,064 people, including 97 women, provided a livelihood opportunity through cash for work pro­grammes. FFS is undertaking 6 EU-funded cash for work projects in three Iraqi governorates
• 211,650 people in Anbar and Nineveh ben­efitting from improved connectivity due to the rehabilitation of four bridges. FFS is undertak­ing four EU funded road and bridge sector pro­jects in both the Anbar and Nineveh governorates.
• 45,100 people will benefit from enhanced capacity of their local municipality and the rehabilitation of the public realm in their city. FFS is undertaking six EU fund­ed municipality sector projects in Nineveh and Kirkuk.
• 245,000 people will benefit from the en­hanced capacity of the water directorates in Anah, Rawa, Qaim and West Mosul to im­prove the water management in these cities and town. FFS is undertaking four EU funded water sector projects in Anbar and Nineveh.

EU Contribution

EUR 64 million

Start-end

2016-2020

Location

Iraq - Liberated territories

Beneficiaries

The Iraqi population

Implementing partner

UNDP

Funding Instrument

Development and Cooperation Instrument