Beirut, 3 October 2026--United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) Rania Al-Mashat congratulated the Republic of Iraq on its National Day, extending her wishes for continued progress, prosperity and sustainable development.
Al-Mashat underscored the importance of the partnership between ESCWA and Iraq, which has expanded across a broad range of development priorities. This growing cooperation reflects a shared commitment to strengthening institutions, investing in people, and translating knowledge and data into effective public policy. She also highlighted the upcoming Arab SMEs Summit (AMES), to be held in Baghdad in November, and its anticipated contribution to economic growth in Iraq and across the region.
“ESCWA values its strong partnership with Iraq and remains committed to providing the knowledge, expertise and technical support required to advance national development priorities and build a more inclusive, resilient and sustainable future,” Al-Mashat said.
In recent years, ESCWA has worked closely with Iraqi institutions across a range ofareas, including statistics and digital transformation; social protection and inclusion; economic and fiscal policy; national planning; trade; governance; climate action; and the sustainable management of natural resources.
ESCWA has supported Iraqi statistical institutions in building capacity and preparing surveys ondigital transformation. Cooperation has also covered population data and projections; the production and exchange of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) data through Statistical Data and Metadata eXchange (SDMX); and the use of the ESCWA Monitoring Application for Reporting on the SDGs (MARS).
ESCWA and Iraq have also strengthened cooperation on inclusive social development, including initiatives concerning older persons and the economic empowerment of persons with disabilities. This work has supported the development of policies and practical frameworks designed to broaden participation, strengthen social protection and ensure that development opportunities reach all segments of society.
Cooperation broadened further in 2026. ESCWA worked with Iraqi institutions on integrated national planning and monitoring; debt management and fiscal policy; trade policy and regional value chains; population projections; and the mainstreaming of women’s issues in sectoral and local policies. Joint efforts also encompassed climate change, environmental sustainability and institutional capacity-building.
Al-Mashat emphasized that this expanding portfolio reflects the approach of ESCWA in responding to national priorities and country-specific needs while making regional expertise, analytical tools and international experience available to national institutions.
“On Iraq’s National Day, we look forward to deepening this partnership further and supporting Iraq in turning its development ambitions into tangible opportunities for its people. Iraq’s progress makes an important contribution to the prosperity and resilience of the Arab region as a whole,” Al-Mashat concluded.
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About ESCWA:
One of the five United Nations regional commissions, ESCWA promotes inclusive and sustainable economic and social development in the Arab States and works to strengthen regional integration.
For more information and inquiries:
- Ms. Maryam Sleiman, Public Information Assistant
📞 +961 81 769 888 | ✉️ [email protected] - Ms. Rania Harb, Public Information Assistant
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