European Union and UN-Habitat support Basra's informal settlements with upgraded infrastructure

European Union and UN-Habitat support Basra’s informal settlements with upgraded infrastructure, expanded job opportunities, and improved governance

SourceUN-HABITAT Originally published 9 Dec 2025

Basra, Iraq

A delegation from the European Union and UN-Habitatvisited the city of Basra to conclude the EU-funded project ‘Increasing Access to Employment Opportunities for Vulnerable Urban Populations in Basra City’. The two-day mission, which took place from 7 to 8 December, included meetings with communities that benefited from improved living conditions, visits to sites that received infrastructure upgrades and the annual steering committee.

Launched in 2021 during the global COVID-19 pandemic, the project was initiated at a time of profound uncertainty. Beyond addressing immediate health and economic needs, its goal was to help vulnerable communities build resilience against future shocks, for example when facing another pandemic or towards the growing impacts of climate change. This required improving access to essential services like clean water and sanitation for preventive health measures and creating pathways to decent employment. The assumption was that through such initiatives families would be able to protect themselves and sustain their livelihoods during eventual future periods of hardship.

Today, due to the successful implementation of the project, nearly 5,000 residents across Al-Ahrar and Al-Kubiyah neighbourhoods in Basra City and Jurf Al-Melah in Shatt Al-Arab District benefit from potable water systems, stormwater and sewage networks, improved roads, and rehabilitated public spaces such as schools and green areas. These upgrades have strengthened public health and improved quality of life for residents.

The initiative also prioritised economic recovery. In close collaboration with the International Labour Organization, more than 1,000 young people accessed employment opportunities, while 600 individuals were trained in urban upgrading and waste collection. Five waste management cooperatives were formalized and equipped, creating jobs for 30 workers and promoting environmentally responsible practices.

https://reliefweb.int/report/iraq/european-union-and-un-habitat-support-basras-informal-settlements-upgraded-infrastructure-expanded-job-opportunities-and-improved-governance-enar