The Iraqi Planning Ministry announced on Friday that the development and economic goals of the November general population census will be the primary focus.
“The census process has made major strides across all governorates, with Kirkuk emerging as the second-highest-performing governorate in the country for census preparations, which began on September 1,” stated ministry spokesperson Abdul-Zahra Al-Hindawi.
Al-Hindawi says that with 70% of the required tasks completed, Kirkuk ranks second among Iraq’s governorates in terms of census progress.
He went on to say, “This high completion rate reflects a genuine desire among citizens to participate in and contribute to economic development, as well as the need for regional projects and investments in related areas.”
“The census aims to create a comprehensive map of all governorates so that we can evaluate key economic areas that affect Iraqis, such as housing, education, health care, and services,”
Al-Hindawi went on to say that the census will give useful information about the needs of each governorate, which will help make sure that resources are distributed fairly based on how many people live there. He affirmed that the census is economic and developmental in nature.
Background on the Census The most recent nationwide population count in Iraq was in 1987, and the Kurdistan Region was not included in the 1997 count. The nation has relied on estimates from unofficial research institutes and organizations for a number of years. The Planning Ministry estimates that Iraq will have a population of over 42 million people in 2022.
Concerns about the census’s politicization have resulted in numerous delays, particularly in contentious regions like Kirkuk. Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmen people live in these areas, which also have significant oil reserves. The census may reveal demographic shifts that could harm ethnic groups’ political ambitions, which is a concern.
