Iraq country strategic plan (2026-2029)

CSP approved at EB 1 2026 session

Iraq has emerged from conflict and insecurity and is charting an ambitious path to tackle poverty and reduce reliance on humanitarian assistance. Since 2021, the Government of Iraq has expanded and reformed its national social and food assistance system, invested in anticipatory action, and led planning for durable solutions for displaced populations. However, deep structural challenges persist: 1 million people remain internally displaced, 4.9 million returnees face barriers to reintegration, and 300,000 refugees and asylum seekers still require assistance. Water scarcity, salinization and desertification continue to erode food systems and livelihoods, driving new and secondary displacement, with 170,000 people currently displaced as a result. 

These pressures, combined with the persistent barriers faced by displaced people seeking to return, leave households vulnerable to food insecurity. While the Government is advancing significant reforms, there is still critical work to be done to integrate displaced people into national social and food assistance programmes, operationalize anticipatory action, and strengthen the adaptive capacity of food systems and livelihoods. Sustained technical support from partners will be required to enhance national capacities, embed risk-informed planning and build shockresponsive systems that reduce future reliance on large-scale humanitarian assistance and safeguard the Government’s hard-won gains.

The Iraq country strategic plan for 2026–2029 marks a decisive shift in WFP’s engagement, concluding the remaining elements of its humanitarian food assistance and pivoting towards nationally led, co-financed and risk-informed recovery and systems strengthening efforts. At its core is a progressive handover of programmes to the Government, the private sector and civil society organizations accompanied by capacity strengthening in anticipatory action, food systems, and national social and food assistance schemes. This transition towards domestically financed, government-owned solutions reflects Iraq’s upper-middle-income status and growing stability. 

Aligned with WFP’s localization policy (2025), the country strategic plan for 2026–2029 positions WFP as a systems enabler that supports government leadership while retaining a lean surge capacity in the event of shocks. The plan contains three integrated outcomes: 

➢ Outcome 1: Crisis-affected populations in Iraq, including internally displaced persons and returnees, are able to meet their food and other basic needs during and in the aftermath of crises. 

➢ Outcome 2: Targeted populations in Iraq have more resilient livelihoods and benefit from improved food systems by 2029. 

➢ Outcome 3: National and sub-national institutions in Iraq have enhanced analytical, policy and programmatic capacities, and systems to better support food-insecure and vulnerable populations, by 2029.

Under outcome 1, WFP aims to phase out unconditional food assistance by the end of 2027, in line with the Government's commitment to closing camps and integrating internally displaced persons into national programmes. Under outcome 2, WFP will seek to stabilize livelihoods in waterstressed and environmentally degraded areas through risk-informed adaptation measures, while supporting the Government in assuming the leadership of anticipatory action. Work under outcome 3 embeds these approaches within the national social and food assistance system by helping to transform flagship schemes, including the public distribution system, assistance for persons with disabilities, school meal operations and the social safety net – thereby enabling a responsible phasing out of work under outcome 1. The coverage, adequacy and timeliness of these schemes will be further improved, with a focus on people vulnerable to declines in food security and nutrition. 

In line with Iraq’s Vision 2030, the national development plan for 2024–2028 and the United Nations sustainable development cooperation framework for 2025–2029, the country strategic plan for 2026–2029 positions WFP as a catalyst and trusted partner in Iraq’s transition from internationally supported humanitarian relief to resilient food systems and nationally led social safety nets. The plan will see WFP working in close partnership with the Government of Iraq, advancing localization, promoting government leadership, and building capacity for domestic resource mobilization and financing. WFP’s continued presence in Iraq beyond 2029 will depend on domestic financing, with future engagement shaped by the Government’s vision and priorities