UN launches major initiative for reintegration of Iraqis returning from Al-Hol Camp

BAGHDAD — The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Iraq, in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), and the European Union, has announced the launch of a significant project titled “The Road Back Home: Community Reconciliation and Reintegration of Iraqis Returning from Syria’s Al-Hol Camp” (CRRISA).

This initiative is part of a broader UN plan to follow-up on its 2023-24 plan that saw the return of Iraqi citizens from Al-Hol Camp in North and East Syria. The reintegration program aims to bolster community stability and unity by facilitating the reintegration of over 9,000 Iraqi returnees, while also providing support to an additional 9,000 individuals in liberated governorates.

The project will prioritize creating a conducive environment for returnees by offering social and economic support and strengthening the social fabric of conflict-affected communities.

Auke Lootsma, UNDP Resident Representative in Iraq, emphasized the project’s importance, stating, “This initiative is a lifeline for the people of Iraq, promoting reintegration and community stability for those who have been displaced from their homes for years.”

The Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displacement reported that around 4,000 individuals have already returned from Al-Hol camp to Iraq. Additionally, an agreement between the federal government and the Kurdistan Region highlights the need to return displaced persons from camps in Erbil and Nohadra (Dohuk) to their original areas.