Al-Sudani: a census will be held in Iraq next year to aid a 5-year national development plan

Shafaq News/ Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani on Sunday said that his government will hold a census in 2024 in a bid to achieve the goals of a five-year development plan that will help boost and diversify the Iraqi economy, attract investors, and address poverty.

Prime Minister al-Sudani made those remarks in a keynote speech he delivered before the attendees of a conference organized by the Iraqi Ministry of Planning to discuss the five-year National Development Plan earlier today in Baghdad.

"The magnitude of the challenges confronting Iraq requires comprehensive plans geared towards achieving holistic national revitalization in the medium and long term," al-Sudani said. "Iraq has endured a period of stagnation since the 1980s, precipitated by a series of wars, sanctions, and the battle against terrorism."

Al-Sudani elaborated on the government's efforts to restore development to its rightful trajectory and set in motion its development blueprints. He said that his government has expedited the execution of 7,000 lagging projects, while simultaneously initiating new projects that hold immense developmental and service value.

He added that priority was given to strategic projects aligned with the 2030 Sustainable Development Vision, most notably infrastructure and clean energy initiatives, the Development Road, and the Faw Port project.

"The entities entrusted with the execution of the five-year plan, including the governorates, must be equipped with the optimal conditions to achieve its objectives successfully," al-Sudani continued.

He reiterated the government's unwavering support for the Higher Coordination Authority for the Governorates, which "has successfully steered a course of transformative change, yielding tangible results within the government's first year."

Al-Sudani expressed his conviction that the newly formed governorate councils will inject more quality into governance, underscoring the government's commitment to fostering conditions conducive to successful elections, ensuring that each governorate is represented by individuals who will seamlessly collaborate with the governor.

"The time has come for the new development plan to embrace economic dimensions rooted in the philosophy of economic diversification."

He said that the government's establishment of the Iraqi Development Fund, "a cornerstone of its economic diversification strategy, aimed at fostering a comprehensive investment environment within the country."

Al-Sudani shed light on initiatives designed to transform the rentier economic paradigm, such as the "Pioneer" initiative, which empowers young entrepreneurs to invest their ideas in productive sectors.

He emphasized that the government's success in achieving economic diversification, fostering a fertile investment environment, and integrating the private sector into the development landscape will herald a transformative shift in Iraq's economic trajectory.

"The five-year development plan must embrace digital transformation by integrating electronic systems into all facets of life," al-Sudani proclaimed.

The premier acknowledged the importance of "accurate and comprehensive" data to ensure the success of the development plans. "We have resolved to conduct a population census in 2024 and have directed the allocation of all necessary financial and logistical resources to guarantee its success," al-Sudani declared.

The prime minister also emphasized the pivotal role of the five-year development plan in creating an environment conducive to good governance and "establishing robust mechanisms to combat corruption and eradicate its sources wherever they reside."

"A five-year development plan reflects a state of security, political stability, and socioeconomic progress," al-Sudani asserted.

Al-Sudani noted the government's efforts during its first year to reduce poverty and unemployment through the expansion of the social protection network, the enhancement of the food basket, and the prioritization of health, education, and service projects.