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Institute on Governance

Citizen-Centric Governance in Iraq: Insights from the IOG Project and the CACMR Reception

By Sharon Ayele

March 12th, 2025

Governance is most effective when it is built around the needs and voices of citizens. In Iraq, where public trust in government institutions has faced significant challenges, the Institute on Governance recently completed an initiative aimed at strengthening citizen engagement and government responsiveness. This project, funded by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), focused on two key components: an Integrated Communication Management System (ICMS) and Citizen Participation Forums (CPF). Through these mechanisms, the project sought to enhance service delivery, improve government transparency, and foster greater trust between citizens and officials.

My attendance at the Canada Arab Congress on Middle East and North Africa Relations (CACMR) reception provided an opportunity to reflect on the broader implications of such initiatives.

The IOG Project in Iraq: Strengthening Citizen Engagement

The IOG’s Citizen Centricity and Participation project, spanning multiple districts in Iraq, aimed to establish more direct channels for citizen-government interaction. The ICMS, a digital platform, was introduced to streamline communication between citizens and government offices, ensuring that requests, complaints, and inquiries were systematically tracked and addressed regardless of the means of communication used, which government office received it and what the subject of the communication was. By transitioning from paper-based systems to digital processes, the project improved government efficiency while increasing accountability.

Simultaneously, the CPF initiative created structured spaces for dialogue between government officials and community members. These forums enabled citizens to provide input on public projects, voice concerns, and collaborate with local authorities on solutions. One key takeaway from these forums was the role of mutual accountability: officials gained firsthand insights into citizens’ needs, while citizens developed a clearer understanding of government constraints and priorities.

Insights from the CACMR Reception: A Regional Perspective

At the CACMR reception, governance experts and policymakers from Canada and the MENA region engaged in discussions on economic development, political stability, and public sector reform. A recurring theme was the necessity of inclusive governance—ensuring that vulnerable groups are given a platform to contribute to the decision-making.

The IOG’s work in Iraq aligns with this principle by demonstrating how citizen-centric governance can be operationalized through technology and structured engagement mechanisms.

Another critical point raised at the reception was the challenge of sustaining governance reforms in the face of political transitions and bureaucratic inertia. The IOG’s project encountered similar challenges, particularly in overcoming initial resistance to digitalization and ensuring long-term buy-in from officials. The key to success lay in local ownership, as the project actively involved Iraqi institutions such as the National Data Center (NDC) and the Ministry of Planning (MoP) to ensure continuity beyond the project’s formal end.

Looking Ahead: Lessons for Governance Best Practices

The IOG’s experience in Iraq offers several valuable lessons for governance practitioners worldwide:

  • Digital transformation must be context-sensitive – The ICMS was adapted to local administrative realities, ensuring that officials could transition smoothly from paper-based methods to digital systems.
  • Citizen engagement strengthens public trust – The CPF model illustrated how structured dialogue can create more responsive governance while empowering communities.
  • Institutional partnerships enhance sustainability – By embedding reforms within existing government structures, the project ensured that its impact would extend beyond its initial implementation phase.

As Canada continues to engage with governance initiatives in the MENA region, projects like the one undertaken by the IOG serve as models for fostering citizen participation and institutional accountability. My discussions at the CACMR reception reinforced the importance of such initiatives in shaping effective, inclusive governance frameworks.

By integrating citizen-centric approaches with institutional reforms, we can move closer to governance systems that are not only more efficient but also more representative of the communities they serve.

Sharon Ayele is an Administrator at the Institute on Governance.