Good morning and welcome to the ESCWA headquarters at the United Nations House in Beirut. We are honoured that you have accepted the invitation to attend the workshop on nationalizing the Sustainable Development Goals and decentralizing public services in Iraq (under the Iraq Public Sector Modernization (IPSM) Programme).

Iraq is currently recovering from the impact of conflict and terrorism that have affected the social fabric and the ability of government institutions to drive development and enable citizens to build their capacity through sound and effective human development policies. Today, Iraq needs a solid foundation on which to build a State based on inclusive citizenship for all social groups and religious denominations, and on good governance that respects pluralism of thought, religion, gender and language. A State founded on inclusive social participation, the rule of law and human rights-based policies and practices.

In this context, the issue of decentralization is a top reform priority. Now is the most suitable time to launch a serious dialogue on devolving power to local authorities. Decentralization shapes the nature of a State and its ability to efficiently provide citizens with better services, and promotes democracy and the fair distribution of public sector employment and country resources. In view of efforts to rebuild the liberated areas of Iraq, officials are renewing their interest in deepening reforms in the field of administrative decentralization. Today, efforts are being made to expedite the transfer of powers. In that regard, decentralization is a safety net that allows social groups, activists and non-governmental organizations to constructively participate at the local level in achieving sustainable stability and peace. The federal decentralized system emerging in Iraq is a unique experience in the Arab region, and a model that ESCWA aims to support, develop and better understand because it can result in lessons learned for other Arab countries aiming to achieve human development, strengthen stability and entrench democratic practices.

Lastly, the workshop that we are opening today in Beirut is part of our vision to support local institutions in the region to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the Arab region. Nationalizing the Sustainable Development Goals at the local level is a vital step towards efficiently providing citizens with basic services, such as education, health and social welfare, reducing inequalities, and promoting social participation in development.
Thank you.