81260433-Support of Local Peace Committees and Local Peace

Ninewa Governorate in north western Iraq continues to be severely affected by the aftermath of the occupation by the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS) and the subsequent liberation struggles, which led to massive destruction of infrastructure and livelihoods as well as mass displacement. The situation is further complicated by the deep-rooted tensions and lines of conflict between various groups, mistrust between those and the lack of trust in the state to provide security for the individual populations, resulting in a widespread failure to return to former areas of origin. In Ninewa governorate, the GIZ project ‘Strengthening resilience in dealing with crises and conflicts in Ninewa Province in Iraq (SRN)’ aims to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable populations through the construction and rehabilitation of basic public social infrastructure, livelihood activities as well as peacebuilding measures. Thereby, the project aims at conceptualizing the relevant connection between so called ‘hard components’ e.g. construction and ‘soft components’ including programming in conflict transformation, promoting peaceful coexistence and strengthening social cohesion in Ninewa, particularly on a local level. From November 2018 until February 2020, GIZ has worked with a local partner to support Local Peace Committees (LPCs) in five locations in Ninewa governorate aiming at creating collaborative mechanisms, which are inclusive and community-led and have the capacity to respond to local tensions and changing dynamics at the sub-national and local level. GIZ also supported the negotiation of a local peace agreement in Ninewa between Sunni Arabs and Kurds in the sub-district of Zummar. In regard to ongoing program activities in 2020 as well as the anticipated increase in GIZ' activities in northern Iraq, a new contract for subsequent support of the LPCs and the monitoring and implementation of Zummar agreement as well as the negotiation of further local peace agreements shall be established for the period from October 2020 to September 2022.