DFID has regular discussions and meetings with officials from the Government of Iraq about future development plans for Iraq after the liberation of Mosul and how the international community can support Iraq in the longer term. In addition to the UK’s ongoing humanitarian and stabilisation assistance funding, DFID is providing a £300 million loan guarantee to support the World Bank’s programme in Iraq that is helping the Government of Iraq cope with the impact of low oil prices and the long term consequences of the conflict with Daesh.

The UK is at the forefront of efforts to support the Government of Iraq to meet the needs of those affected by the conflict with Daesh in Iraq. For example DFID funds the International Organisation for Migration to support emergency healthcare interventions, a field hospital outside Mosul, ambulance transportation, and Mobile Medical Teams to deliver lifesaving health services. As the largest contributor to the Iraq Humanitarian Pooled Fund, the UK supports several projects to meet the most urgent needs of displaced Iraqis including the provision of healthcare and medication.

The Government's Conflict, Security and Stability Fund (CSSF) was first established for the 2015/2016 Financial Year. In 2015/16 the UK spent £13,832,069 in Iraq through the CSSF. In the Financial Year 2016/17 we have, to date, spent £14,841,495 in Iraq through the CSSF.

Except in the Kurdish Region of Iraq (KRI), International Oil Companies (IOCs) operate in Iraq under Technical Service Contracts (TSCs) which are agreed and signed with the Ministry of Oil in Baghdad. In the KRI, IOCs operate under Production-Sharing Agreements (PSAs). The Department for International Trade, including through our Embassy in Baghdad, will provide advice and support to British companies seeking to work under these agreements when requested and as appropriate.

The official statistics on UK international development aid are published in the annual publication ‘Statistics on International Development’, available from the Gov.uk website. The available statistics on annual overseas development aid for Iraq is set out below. The official statistics for 2016 have not yet been published.

For the financial year 2015/16 the Department for International Development spent £40 million in Iraq, and for the financial year 2016/17 we have committed £95 million (£90 million in humanitarian assistance plus £5 million on stabilisation projects).

Total UK Bilateral ODA – Iraq

2010-2015 £ thousands

Source: Statistics for International Development, last updated 17 November 2016

Notes

• Figures are rounded
• The figures in this table are National Statistics

Up to 2011, the net additional costs of operations in Iraq were £343 million in 2009-10 and £95 million in 2010-11. From 2014, the UK has supported operations to counter Daesh in Iraq and Syria. The net additional costs of these operations, which we do not separate due to their inter-related nature, were £21.9 million in 2014-15 and £216.9 million in 2015-16. Information for 2016-17 will be reported in the Department's Annual Report and Accounts.

The UK has played a significant role in supporting the Iraqi operation which secured a notable victory over Daesh in Eastern Mosul. Since the operation began, over 450 targets in and around Mosul have been struck by the RAF.

RAF aircraft played a valuable role, using their surveillance sensors to identify civilians within the city who might be placed at particular risk and alerting the Iraqi ground forces and other Coalition aircraft to their presence. UK Service personnel have also contributed to the training of over 38,500 Iraqi forces (including more than 7,300 Peshmerga) in infantry, medical skills, C-IED measures and engineering skills, many of whom have participated in the Mosul operation.

DFID‘s work in Iraq is focused on supporting the Government of Iraq-led, UN-supported humanitarian and stabilisation response to the current crisis, and DFID funding is channelled through UN agencies and non-governmental organisations. DFID is not directly funding programmes supporting joint working between the UK and Iraqi public sectors.

The British Council is working with the Iraqi health, heritage and education sectors to foster collaboration with UK institutions. Through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) the UK is also working with the Government of Iraq to train and mentor the Iraqi Government Digital Service to support online communications in the campaign against Daesh.

The Department for International Trade (DIT) are actively building bilateral trade links between the UK and Iraq, supported by the work of the Iraq Britain Business Council and the PM Trade Envoy to Iraq Baroness Nicholson.

The Ambassador regularly raises trade issues with Prime Minister Abadi and in the last six weeks, along with DIT colleagues, has met with the President of Iraq and the Ministers of Electricity, Construction, Oil and Transport to support commercial opportunities for British companies. As a result, DIT has helped British companies win significant contracts in the air services, security and infrastructure sectors, with British companies competing for more business.

The full range of medium and long-term UK Export Finance (UKEF) facilities is available to support UK exports to Iraq. UKEF has received expressions of interest from a number of businesses across a range of sectors. In December, UKEF supported UK exporter Biwater to deliver water treatment solutions in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

I have not had any recent discussions with the Iraqi government regarding the amount the UK plans to provide through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF). However, Embassy officials regularly discuss our CSSF work with their counterparts in the Iraqi government.

In financial year 16/17 the Iraq CSSF programme plans to spend £25.25m on a range of projects designed to help stabilise areas liberated from Daesh and provide a safe environment for displaced people to return home; support political reform and reconciliation and; provide strategic communications support to the Government of Iraq campaign to defeat Daesh. These complement the British Government's existing and significant political, humanitarian and coalition Counter-Daesh efforts.