Open Society Institute's Iraq Report Intended as Guide to Evaluating Post-Conflict Reconstruction
June 14, 2003
by Open Society Institute
"Reconstructing Iraq: A Guide to the Issues" is a research compendium designed to help interested parties understand and evaluate reconstruction activities in Iraq.
The booklet provides extensive background information on a wide range of topics related to Iraq specifically and to reconstruction generally, as well as lists of experts and reports development professionals may consult for further information.
On May 22, 2003, the United Nations Security Council unanimously approved Resolution 1483, which outlines reconstruction efforts in Iraq.
Resolution 1483 grants the United States -- the occupying power in Iraq under international law -- with wide latitude in organizing a postwar Iraqi government and overseeing extensive reconstruction efforts. Nevertheless, the Resolution also provides for significant input from the United Nations. The UN and other members of the international community now have a responsibility to utilize their experience in multilateral cooperation to ensure an effective, fair, and consistent reconstruction process as it unfolds.
A new publication from the Open Society Institute and the United Nations Foundation, "Reconstructing Iraq: A Guide to the Issues," considers the implications of U.N. Resolution 1483 from political, economic, social, and historical perspectives. It provides concise background information on recent post-war reconstruction efforts in other nations as well as on the unique challenges presented by Iraq.
In the near future, OSI plans to launch a monitoring project posted to the Institute's websites: This project will report on major shifts in US policy in Iraq, as well as the ways in which international actors have -- or have not -- fulfilled Resolution 1483 on the ground in Iraq.
Link: http://www.osi-dc.org/reconstructing_iraq.htm [8 KB HTML]
Keywords: post-conflict reconstruction, postwar, development, Iraq, governance, infrastructure, evaluation