The Bank said in a statement posted on its web site that the "first survey of this type to be conducted in Iraq since 1993, it will examine income, expenditures, and living standards, yielding valuable data on poverty and complementing other surveys financed by the United Nations." Up to USD 5.1 million of the total sums of money will be used by Iraq to finance the survey and data analysis, and a USD 1.5 million will be used to provide technical assistance on the latest data collection and analysis techniques, said the statement.
A generation ago, Iraq's income and education and health indicators were high compared to regional averages. In recent years, living standards have declined to among the lowest in the region, said the World Bank statement. Joseph Saba, a World Bank Director for the Middle East Department, said "This project will enable Iraq's government to establish a poverty line, develop policies to reduce poverty and increase employment, and target social assistance to the neediest.
"Modern systems for data collection and dissemination are essential for providing Iraqi's policymakers with reliable information on which to base their decisions," added Saba.(Source)Kuna
