Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani has launched the National Investment and Employment Initiative, a new program aimed at cutting unemployment by providing incentives to projects that prioritize hiring Iraqi workers across different economic sectors and governorates nationwide.
Additionally, according to a statement from the prime minister’s media office, the announcement followed a high-level meeting on economic and employment policies. The meeting focused on coordinating government actions with private sector participation and international partnerships to generate more job opportunities across the country.
Under this initiative, private-sector employees will gain access to benefits comparable to those offered in the public sector. This reform seeks to promote job equity, enhance labor rights, and motivate more Iraqis to pursue private-sector careers instead of depending solely on government employment.
Additionally, Prime Minister Al-Sudani endorsed the National Program for Vocational and Technical Training, which aims to equip Iraqi workers with globally recognized skills aligned with the demands of modern industries. The program will focus on practical, market-driven training and professional certification to prepare Iraqis for roles in construction, energy, and technology sectors — all critical areas for economic diversification and sustainable growth across Iraq.
Recent data from the Ministry of Finance showed that Iraq’s unemployment rate rose slightly to 15.5% in 2024, compared with 15.45% in 2023. Youth unemployment, among those aged 15 to 24, also increased marginally to 32.1%, up from 31.97% a year earlier.
Therefore, the National Investment and Employment Initiative represents a cornerstone in the government’s long-term economic reform agenda. By directly linking investment to job creation and improving workforce skills, the plan is designed to reduce unemployment, enhance productivity, and strengthen Iraq’s labor market competitiveness.
This approach, combining vocational training with targeted incentives, marks one of the most comprehensive efforts yet to empower Iraqi workers and build a more competitive, resilient national economy.