Iraq Public Sector Modernisation Programme (I-PSM) Phase II  (Project number IRQ P1-05)

The Iraq – Public Sector Modernisation programme is a Government of Iraq-led UN joint programme supporting Iraq’s Strategic Government Plan (SGP) 2011-14 and its National Development Plan (NDP) 2010-2014. The programme is fully aligned with the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2011-2014. The Programme has four themes: i) Developing policy and building machinery at the centre of government for managing Public Sector Modernisation (PSM); ii) Supporting system-wide reform for development management, gender mainstreaming, e-governance and national statistics; iii) Piloting reform in the three key sectors of health, education and water and sanitation (Watsan); and iv) Supporting decentralised service delivery and local governance initiatives. This Phase of the programme builds on lessons learned and recommendations emerging from the implementation and external evaluation of the I-PSM Phase I. I-PSM Phase I is the foundation for the analytical assessment and preparatory work enabling Government to develop a system-wide public administration reform plan, as well as sector-specific modernisation plans for three pilot sectors and three pilot governorates. By focusing on service delivery, the Government can demonstrate to the Iraqi people that public sector modernization has concrete and tangible benefits for the population as a whole. This programme will establish synergies with existing UN programmes aimed at addressing corruption, involve the active participation of civil society, and integrate cross-cutting themes in relation to
employment, gender, social inclusion and environment. The programme will ensure coordination with public sector reform initiatives of other bilateral and multilateral development partners and with other major UN joint programmes, primarily with the Local Area Development Programme (LADP) Phase-II, and will also take into account the achievements of the Private Sector Development Programme – Iraq (PSDP-I) to enhance synergy and avoid duplication.