Lying northeast of Baghdad and stretching towards Iran in the East and Kurdistan to the North, Diyala Province was once the breadbasket of Iraq. But a seemingly never-ending series of conflicts left the province battered and tense: the American invasion, Sunni resistance and strife between Sunni and Shia militias, the fight against al Qaeda, and tension between Iraqi and Kurdistan Regional forces.
Image on right: Soldier talks with citizens of Diyala. (Photo: Department of Defense)
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Lying northeast of Baghdad and stretching towards Iran in the East and Kurdistan to the North, Diyala Province was once the breadbasket of Iraq. But a seemingly never-ending series of conflicts left the province battered and tense: the American invasion, Sunni resistance and strife between Sunni and Shia militias, the fight against al Qaeda, and tension between Iraqi and Kurdistan Regional forces.
The situation in Diyala province today remains precarious, but there are some glimmers of hope:
On May 4th, the Provincial Council of Diyala Province, supported by a joint USIP-State Department Team, issued a "Diyala Declaration" that outlined its vision for the province, which has been devastated by war, terrorism and drought for the past six years.
The Council members, who were elected at the end of January and represent the full spectrum of Iraqi politics and society, agreed upon a shared vision for the Province – one that includes security, a revived economy, transparent and efficient governance, improved education, and the prompt and orderly return of displaced people.
The State Department’s Provincial Reconstruction Team at Forward Operating Base Warhorse invited USIP to facilitate the Diyala Dialogue. Amid difficult conditions over two days, largely through working groups facilitated by USIP-trained Iraqi members of the team, the Provincial Council members, the Directors General, the governor and his representatives developed a list of priority challenges in the province and then crafted a shared vision and goals for the Province over the four years of the Council's mandate.
The event culminated in a ceremony in which all 24 members of the Council who were able to participate signed the Diyala Declaration in the green ink that their status entitles them to.
The declaration is a living document subject to revision and refinement by the Provincial Council members after consultation with citizens in the province.
Governance Team Leader, Trish Thomson, former executive vice president at the Institute, wrote after the ceremony, "This week's working session was an essential step forward for the Provincial Council and the province. The declaration will be an excellent framework for more detailed planning."
