Baghdad: A joint workshop between the Ministry of Planning and the World Bank team began today to conduct a comprehensive review of the Social Fund for Development projects. The review will examine the current status of these projects, including completion rates, challenges, stages of implementation, and upcoming contracts and financial commitments related to the Fund's projects.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Muayad Ismail Hussein, the supervisor of the Fund's operations and activities, emphasized the need for continued progress at an accelerated pace to ensure full loan disbursement and achieve the project's goals. He highlighted the Fund's role as a key tool in the poverty reduction strategy's executive management. Hussein also underlined the importance of identifying the types of projects to be pursued in the next phase to guarantee their timely completion and affirmed ongoing efforts to address and overcome challenges hindering project implementation.

Khaled Ahmed Mohi El-Din, Head of the Social Fund for Development project team at the World Bank, affirmed the significant achievements of the projects implemented by the Fund, both in terms of completion rates and overcoming challenges, crediting the clarity of the work plan. He stated that the implementation of the Fund's projects is among the best experiences the Bank has had in the region and expressed his team's readiness to support the Ministry of Planning in completing the Social Fund for Development project. He noted that the next phase will see the completion of more service projects.

Director of the Social Fund for Development, Hazem Ahmed, reviewed the status of the projects being implemented across all governorates.