The evaluation was commissioned by the WFP Office of Evaluation to provide evaluative evidence for accountability and learning to inform the design of the next country strategic plan (CSP) for Iraq. The evaluation covered all WFP activities implemented between 2017 and October 2023, exploring WFP’s strategic positioning and relevance, WFP’s effectiveness in contributing to the strategic outcomes, the efficiency of the implementation and the factors explaining WFP’s performance.
The evaluation concluded that:
- WFP programmatic objectives were aligned with national, regional and United Nations system's priorities, focus on transitioning Iraq to a post-recovery stage and the flexibility of the CSP enabled WFP to navigate contextual changes and evolving priorities.
- WFP’s unconditional food assistance provided an important buffer against shocks for vulnerable IDPs and refugees, but improvements in food security have partially been offset over time by ongoing shocks and soaring food prices.
- WFP piloted new programmes and capacity initiatives, but a lack of collective vision on Iraq’s social protection system combined with the challenges in demonstrating results, undermined sustainability.
- Further work is needed to clarify WFP’s comparative advantage and its contributions to Iraq’s emergency preparedness and social protection systems as the country continues to progress to a middle income development context.
