Donors pledge $30bn for Iraq”s post-ISIS reconstruction

International donors have pledged tens of billions of dollars to help Iraq rebuild after a four-year war against ISIS has left large swathes of the country in ruins. Iraq received $30bn in pledges to fund its reconstruction efforts, the government of Kuwait confirmed on Wednesday after the conclusion of a three-day, donor conference in its […]

International donors have pledged tens of billions of dollars to help Iraq rebuild after a four-year war against ISIS has left large swathes of the country in ruins.

Iraq received $30bn in pledges to fund its reconstruction efforts, the government of Kuwait confirmed on Wednesday after the conclusion of a three-day, donor conference in its capital.

Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Turkey were among several countries promising to offer loans and direct investments to help rebuild the country.

But Ibrahim al-Jaafari, Iraq’s foreign minister, said later on Wednesday that the funds fall short of what is needed. The country’s Minister of Planning Qusai Abdelfattah said earlier this week that Iraq needs an estimated $88.2bn to achieve its goals, $22bn of which is needed “immediately”.