Rebuilding Iraq
International Donor Pledges for Reconstruction Efforts in Iraq
Gao ID: GAO-08-365R December 18, 2007
At an October 30, 2007, hearing before the subcommittee on U.S. efforts to secure, stabilize, and rebuild Iraq, several members requested additional information on international donors' pledges to reconstruction and stabilization efforts in Iraq. This correspondence provides updated information on the amounts of loans and grants pledged by each donor country, as well as the status of those pledges.
As of October 2007, international donors have pledged about $16.4 billion in support of Iraq's reconstruction since 2003. Of this amount, about $10.8 billion--or about 66 percent--is in the form of loans. The Iraqi government has entered into agreements to use nearly $2.2 billion of the pledged loans, as of October 2007. Donors also have pledged $5.6 billion in grants, to be provided multilaterally or bilaterally. Donors have provided about $4.8 billion of this amount as of October 2007.
GAO-08-365R, Rebuilding Iraq: International Donor Pledges for Reconstruction Efforts in Iraq
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December 18, 2007:
The Honorable Nita M. Lowey:
Chair:
The Honorable Frank R. Wolf:
Ranking Member:
Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs:
Committee on Appropriations:
House of Representatives:
Subject: Rebuilding Iraq: International Donor Pledges for
Reconstruction Efforts in Iraq:
At an October 30, 2007, hearing before the subcommittee on U.S. efforts
to secure, stabilize, and rebuild Iraq, several members requested
additional information on international donors' pledges to
reconstruction and stabilization efforts in Iraq.[Footnote 1] This
correspondence provides updated information on the amounts of loans and
grants pledged by each donor country, as well as the status of those
pledges.
As of October 2007, international donors have pledged about $16.4
billion in support of Iraq's reconstruction since 2003.[Footnote 2] Of
this amount, about $10.8 billion--or about 66 percent--is in the form
of loans. The Iraqi government has entered into agreements to use
nearly $2.2 billion of the pledged loans, as of October 2007. Donors
also have pledged $5.6 billion in grants, to be provided multilaterally
or bilaterally. Donors have provided about $4.8 billion of this amount
as of October 2007. Appendix I provides additional information on the
loans and grants pledged by each donor country and the contributions
provided as of October 2007.
We obtained data on donor pledges and contributions to Iraq
reconstruction from the United Nations (UN), the World Bank, and the
Department of State. We reviewed UN and World Bank documents on pledges
and multilateral contributions and met with cognizant UN and World Bank
officials. To obtain information on bilateral grants and loans, we
reviewed UN and World Bank trust fund documents and met with State
Department officials. The information we have provided is sufficiently
reliable for the purposes of a broad comparison of overall totals for
grants and loans in relation to the pledged amounts. While the
information provides a reasonable depiction of donor contributions in
terms of loans and grants, some of the individual country information
may not fully reflect differences in exchange rates between amounts
pledged and grants provided in foreign currencies, or incorporate all
the bilateral grants or loans that have been made. Our work was
conducted in accordance with generally accepted government auditing
standards.
If you have any questions about this information, please contact me at
202-512-8979 or by e-mail at christoffj@gao.gov. Other key contributors
to the report include Muriel Forster, Monica Brym, Dorian Herring,
Elizabeth Repko, Aniruddha Dasgupta, and David Bruno.
Signed by:
Joseph A. Christoff:
Director, International Affairs and Trade:
Appendix I: International Donor Pledges for Iraq Reconstruction:
Many nations and various international organizations are providing
multilateral and bilateral assistance to support efforts to rebuild
Iraq. As of October 2007, donors have pledged, or provided in excess of
the amounts pledged,[Footnote 3] about $16.4 billion for Iraq
reconstruction. (Table 1 provides a breakdown of pledges by loans and
grants for each donor country.) The majority of this amount, about
$13.6 billion, was pledged at the October 2003 donor conference in
Madrid.
Most donor nations have pledged assistance in the form of grants,
either multilaterally or bilaterally.[Footnote 4] However, the majority
of the amount pledged is in the form of loans, primarily from Japan
($3.4 billion), the World Bank ($3 billion), the International Monetary
Fund (IMF) (up to $2.55 billion), and Iran ($1 billion).
Table 1: International Donor Pledges for Iraq Reconstruction, by Grant
and Loans (in thousands of U.S. dollars), as of October 2007:
Donor: *Australia;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 77,270;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 77,270;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A: 51,270;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: Austria;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 5,480;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 5,480;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 1,800;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: Belgium;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 5,890;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 5,890;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 5,881;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: Bulgaria;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 640;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 640;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 530;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: *Canada;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 187,470;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 187,470;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 200,490;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: China;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 31,500;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 31,500;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: Not available;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: Croatia;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 333;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 333;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 333;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: Cyprus;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 120;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 120;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 120;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: Czech Rep;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 14,660;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 14,660;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 6,250;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: Denmark;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 61,950;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 61,950;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 18,825;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: *European Commission;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 921,305;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 921,305;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 970,000;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: Estonia;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 80;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 80;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 80;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: Finland;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 8,834;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 8,834;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 8,830;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: *Germany;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 4,150;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 4,150;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 10,000;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: Greece;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 7,148;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 7,148;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 7,148;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: Hungary;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 1,670;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 1,670;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
1,670;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: Iceland;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 3,000;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 3,000;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 3,000;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: India;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 10,000;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 10,000;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: [Empty];
Grants provided [A]: 10,000;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: Iran;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 1,005,000;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 5,000;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 1,000,000;
Grants provided [A]: Not available;
Loans provided: Not available.
Donor: Ireland;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 3,530;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 3,530;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 1,825;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: *Italy;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 835,620;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 235,620[B];
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 600,000;
Grants provided [A]: 350,000;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: Japan;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 4,914,000;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 1,414,000;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 3,500,000;
Grants provided [A]: 1,491,550;
Loans provided: 1,562,000.
Donor: Republic of Korea[C];
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 400,000;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 200,000;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 200,000;
Grants provided [A]: 200,000;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: Kuwait;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 500,000;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 500,000;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 135,000;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: Lithuania;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 30;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 30;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 30;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: Luxembourg;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 2,559;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 2,559;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 2,559;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: Malta;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 27;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 27;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: Not available;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: Netherlands;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 12,885;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 12,885;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 12,900;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: *New Zealand;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 6,110;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 6,110;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 6,110;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: *Norway;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 23,710;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 23,710;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 23,710;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: Oman;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 3,000;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 3,000;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: Not available;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: Pakistan;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 2,500;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 2,500;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 600;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: *Portugal;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 600;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 600;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 600;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: Qatar;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 100,000;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 100,000[D];
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 27,500;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: Saudi Arabia;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 500,000;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 500,000;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 87,000;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: *Slovenia;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 420;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 420;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 334;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: *Spain;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 248,000;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 248,000;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 213,700;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: Sweden;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 33,000;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 33,000;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 18,600;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: *Turkey;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 60,000;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 60,000;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 27,500;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: United Arab Emirates;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 215,000;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 215,000;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0.
Grants provided [A]: 77,000;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: *United Kingdom;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 650,330;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 650,330;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 852,000;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: *Vietnam;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 700;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 700;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 0;
Grants provided [A]: 700;
Loans provided: 0.
Donor: World Bank[E];
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 3,000,000;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 0;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 3,000,000;
Grants provided [A]: 0;
Loans provided: 241,000.
Donor: International Monetary Fund[E];
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 2,550,000;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 0;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 2,550,000.
Grants provided [A]: 0;
Loans provided: 436,000.
Total;
Total pledged and/or provided in excess of pledge: 16,408,521;
Pledge offered in the form of grants: 5,558,521;
Pledge offered in the form of loans: 10,850,000.
Grants provided [A]: 4,825,445;
Loans provided: 2,239,000.
Source: United Nations, World Bank, and State Department data.
Notes:
*Designates a country that provided additional funds, in excess of
amount pledged, or a country that did not pledge funds at the 2003
Donor Conference but has provided funds to Iraq for reconstruction
projects.
[A] A portion of bilateral grants was provided as assistance in kind.
[B] This figure represents Italy's original pledge, which did not
distinguish between grants or loans at the time of the pledge. For the
purposes of this table, we have represented this amount as a grant. The
$600 million in loans represents an additional pledge Italy offered in
2007.
[C] The Republic of Korea offered in October 2007 to provide an
additional $200,000 in loans, according to the State Department.
[D] This figure represents Qatar's original pledge, which did not
distinguish between grants or loans at the time of the pledge. For the
purposes of this table, we have represented this amount as a grant.
[E] We have provided the lower range of planned lending by the World
Bank and the IMF. The World Bank pledged assistance ranging from $3 to
$5 billion and the IMF pledged assistance ranging from nearly $2.6 to
$4.3 billion.
[End of table]
As of October 2007, Iraq had entered into agreements to access nearly
$1.8 billion of available loans from Japan and the World Bank--nearly
$1.6 billion from Japan and nearly $241 million from the World Bank for
basic infrastructure projects. In addition, the IMF has provided Iraq
with $436 million in emergency post-conflict assistance to facilitate
Iraqi debt relief, but the Iraqi government has not drawn on this
assistance. South Korea and Italy also have offered loans to Iraq,
according to a State official.
Of the total grants, donors have provided about $1.7 billion
multilaterally to two trust funds, one run by the United Nations (UN)
Development Group and the other by the World Bank, and over $3.1
billion in bilateral grants. Of the amount provided multilaterally to
the UN and World Bank trust funds, the UN had disbursed about $685
million while the World Bank had disbursed about $109 million for
reconstruction projects in Iraq, as of October 2007.
[End of section]
Footnotes:
[1] See Securing, Stabilizing, and Rebuilding Iraq: GAO Audits and Key
Oversight Issues, GAO-08-231T (Washington, D.C.: Oct. 30, 2007).
[2] U.S. and Iraqi funding for reconstruction efforts is not included
in this total.
[3] Some donors have provided additional funds that exceed the amount
they pledged to provide.
[4] The World Bank Group defines a pledge as an indication of intent to
mobilize funds for which an approximate sum of contribution is
specified.
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