Improving the Housing Delivery System in Erbil, KRG (30/5/2012 – 30/6/2015; USD 1,086,724)

Improving the Housing Delivery System in Erbil, KRG

This project aims to support the implementation of the Erbil Housing Strategy by strengthening local capacities. To demonstrate environmentally friendly and cost-effective approaches to housing design and area upgrading, this project was the first comprehensive upgrading intervention in an informal area in the city.

Outputs:

Social interventions executed: community participation, partnership with NGOs, literacy, sewing and English courses

The formalization of tenure facilitated through negotiations with land owners and illegal residents; Relocation of 400 houses that illegally occupied government-owned land in Kurani Ainkawa to a newly serviced site

New master plan and physical pilot interventions devised (road construction, multi-purpose hall, school)

Establishing a Building Control Regime for KR-I (4/1/2015 – 9/12/2015; USD 380,000)

The project aims to ensure the safety and health of people in or about buildings in KR-I through standards for the design and construction of buildings. Additionally it will increase the capacities of staff that are involved in making approvals and ensure that they are adequately qualified. »

Outputs:

Building Codes are updated in line with social, environmental and technological requirements

Building Control Enforcement Regime is streamlined.

Iraq - Public Sector Modernization Programme (I-PSM), Phase II (1/1/2013-31/12/2015; USD 2,078,947)

The I-PSM is a Government of Iraq-led UN joint programme supporting Iraq’s Strategic Government Plan (SGP) 2011-14 and its National Development Plan (NDP) 2013-2017. The programme is fully aligned with the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2011-2014. UN-Habitat has been operational in the areas of urban planning and local governance, housing and land management and reform as well as urban services – with a focus on water, sanitation and education.

Outputs: • The laws and regulations of the Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works MoMPW reviewed, and proposals on civil service reform submitted while considering the decentralization approach, transparency and accountability; • MoMPW qualified to apply ISO system review and the organizational structure of MoMPW updated; • Task group in MoMPW formulated and trained to develop job description manuals; • Comprehensive model for decentralized management of WATSAN in Najaf and Duhok developed.

Strengthening of Urban & Regional Planning in the Kurdistan Region (09/09/2014 – 31/10/2016; USD 944,000)

Master plans have been prepared in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq for its main cities and some of its districts, despite the unavailability of a comprehensive regional plan. With competing demands for land, increasing urbanization and scarcity of natural resources, strategic planning at district, city, governorate and regional levels is becoming increasingly essential.

With funding from the Kurdistan Regional Government, this project aims to improve the capacity of the staff of the Ministry of Municipalities and Tourism and the Erbil Governorate in order to better perform their planning duties. Essential components of the planning process include the promotion of participatory planning approaches and the mainstreaming of cross-cutting issues such as gender and the environment.

Key outputs to date:

  • A series of technical training workshops were delivered based on a structured module covering a wide range of topics on ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ technical skills related to urban planning, surveying, mapping, and efficient resource management within public institutions;
  • Assessment was conducted to analyze the institutional capacity of the urban and regional planning system and land management in the Kurdistan Regional Government;
  • Practical and participatory planning sessions were conducted focusing on specific urban planning outputs, such as addressing the gaps identified in the Erbil Master Plan, drafting an Urban Planning Framework for rural towns and villages, designing a Sector Plan in Erbil, and developing a Master Plan for a secondary city; and
  • IT equipment and services were delivered to enhance the technical capacity of the Ministry of Municipality and Tourism.