Iraqi Council Approves Reallocating Loans to Finance Youth Projects

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani has chaired the periodic meeting of the Supreme Council of Youth, coinciding with World Youth Day and the second anniversary of the Council's establishment. The meeting was attended by several ministers and senior advisers.

The Council approved reallocating ~US$57 million recovered from Agricultural Initiative loans to finance youth projects in agriculture, food security, and climate action under the Charity Initiative. Plans were also agreed to develop a "Residential Youth City" offering affordable housing, and to establish a "Youth Tower for Entrepreneurship" in Baghdad as a hub for start-ups.

To boost skills, initiatives include a National Programming Competition, a National Language Competition, and professional programming courses at the American University of Baghdad in partnership with Al-Ahli Iraqi Bank. Employment measures include the Youth Entrepreneurs Program, training 500-1,000 young people in oil-producing provinces, and the launch of the "Knowledge Eyes" platform.

Other approved projects include the Youth Ideas Program linking trained entrepreneurs to oil-sector companies, the Documentation initiative to distribute 1,000 wheelchairs to people with disabilities, the National Network of Youth Coaches to train 500 coaches nationwide, and a Virtual Centre for Addiction Treatment and Psychological Support.