Chatham House briefing
Published 18 June 2020
Updated 11 December 2020
ISBN: 978 1 78413 408 2
Iraq’s public sector has shown formidable resistance to reform. The goal of this briefing is to guide policymakers, international financial institutions and development agencies in their design and implementation of public sector reform programmes in Iraq.
Most attempts at reforming Iraq’s public sector ultimately seek to improve the responsiveness of the government to the needs of its citizens. Nationwide polling over the past few years has consistently shown that Iraqis are primarily concerned with the provision of jobs, security, basic services, and an end to pervasive corruption.13
Establishing a strategic framework for institutional reform, based on sound financial management and an efficient and transparent civil service, is key for successful public sector initiatives. The rationale for this framework in the Middle East and North Africa region is clear, according to the OECD:
Governments can only improve services and meet public needs if they are soundly managing their public finances, managing and motivating public service employees, and performing both of these functions within a framework of effective rule of law, guided by sound policies.14
Policymakers need to be equipped with the right tools in order to form policies that are driven by evidence and grounded in accurate baseline data.
