“Mr. Isaczai highlighted that the country which was devastated by war following the invasion of 2003 now has increased confidence in its institutions and is moving towards greater stability.

He said Iraq has seen a reduction in poverty from 20 per cent in 2018 to 17.5 per cent in 2024-2025 and that preliminary reports suggest the country now ranks high on the Human Development Index, which measures life expectancy, education and standard of living.

Additionally, an improved security environment has enabled five million internally displaced people (IDPs) to return home, while those remaining in camps do so mostly because of housing or civil identification issues. 

Finally, he noted an ‘important milestone’ when the country held parliamentary elections last year with a 56 per cent voter turnout – a 12 per cent increase from the previous national vote – with around a third of the candidates being women.”

From United Nations.