Denmark allocates $7.5 million to Iraqi security reform

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Denmark on Sunday confirmed its commitment to security reform in Iraq through allocating $7.5 million to the country by 2025.

“Denmark has reconfirmed its commitment to strengthening Security Sector Reform in Iraq by in 2022 providing approximately $US 1.6 million to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Iraq,” read a statement from UNDP on Sunday, adding that Copenhagen plans to contribute a total of $7.5 million to Baghdad by 2025. 

The fund provided by Denmark will be allocated on several different projects such as providing technical assistance for the country to implement a National Security Strategy, the training of mid-ranking police officers, and offering vocational training to volunteer fighters who fought against the Islamic State (ISIS)

“Denmark maintains its commitment to supporting Iraq's transition to stability, security and recovery. The strengthening of local police is important in the transition from green to blue security,” Danish ambassador to Iraq Stig Paolo Piras said in the UNDP statement.

The Danish ministry of foreign affairs also expressed the country’s will to support Iraq’s security.


Denmark has played a significant role in Iraq’s security. 

The country took charge of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) training mission in Iraq on December 2020, until passing on command to Italy in May.

In an interview with Rudaw in June, Piras said that Denmark has always seen Iraq as an “interesting market” and that it has always been a good country to collaborate with.

This is the second large scale fund allocated to Iraq through the UNDP in less than a month.

Canada and the UK in late June launched a $6.8 million project in cooperation with the UNDP and the Iraqi government to combat climate change in Iraq.