Indicator: Protected Areas
The KBA Program of NI originally started surveying Important Bird Areas and Wetland sites in the Middle East. These had been defined in Iraq based on the work of Evans (1994) & Scott (1995) and resulted in an initial list of 43 potential sites. The left-hand map depicts Important Bird Areas of Iraq as defined by Evans (1994). Other important cultural and heritage sites exist in the country as well that currently have limited or no protected area status (See right-hand map).
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Important Bird Areas of Iraq (Evans, 1994)
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Cultural & Heritage Sites in Iraq
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The MOA maintains a number of agricultural protected areas and reserves, some for wildlife and plant preservation. These are listed in the table below.
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Protected Area Name
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Governorate
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Property of
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Type
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Area km2
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Qualification level
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1
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Gsaiba
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Baghdad
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State Company of Forests and Orchards
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Wild animals and rare birds
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0.15
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Qualified
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2
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Safia
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Basra
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Basrah Agriculture
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Water body
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17.5
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Qualified
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3
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Dibis
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Kirkok
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State Company of Forests and Orchards
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Wild animals
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0.4
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Qualified
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4
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Mandili
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Diala
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Diala Agriculture
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Wild animals
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0.4
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Qualified
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5
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Sawa
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Muthana
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Muthana Agriculture
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Wild animals
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0.5
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Under Qualification
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6
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Karbala
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Karbala
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Karbala Agriculture
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Wild animals
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0.5
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Under Qualification
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7
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Najaf
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Najaf
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Najaf Agriculture
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Wild animals
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0.5
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Under Qualification
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8
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Chibayish
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Thi Qar
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ThiQar Agriculture
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Waterbody
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7.2
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Under Qualification
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9
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Reem
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Maisan
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Maisan Agriculture
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Wild animals
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0.5
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Under Qualification
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10
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Massad
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Anbar
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State Company of Animal Wealth
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Wild animals (Gazelle)
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1.6
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Qualified
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11
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Dhab’a
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Anbar
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State Company of Animal Wealth
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Wild animals
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0.4
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Qualified
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12
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Sinjar
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Mosul
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General commission of seed testing and approval
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Plants
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1.2
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Unqualified (violated)
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13
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Rawdhat-l-maha
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Baghdad
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State Company of Forests and Orchards
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Wild animals
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0.5
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Unqualified (violated)
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14
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Nainawa
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Mosul
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Mosul Agriculture
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Plants
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0.5
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Unqualified (violated)
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Total Area
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31.8
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The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) lists several protected area sites within Iraq, which are in need of updates at the time of this writing.
Several areas may be receiving informal protected area status on a local basis. For example, the Barzan area of Erbil Governorate in Kurdistan has received tribal protection from hunting for many decades due to an edict issued by a Barzan tribal leader that is still in force. Though not achieved through official action, this site and possibly others like it are currently the only natural sites holding at least partial protection status.
Available information &/or datasets:
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Information/Data Sources:
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Draft Hawizeh Ramsar Management Plan
Protected Areas Database.
Nature Iraq Database of Proposed and existing protected areas and other areas of biodiversity concern
Important Bird Areas of the Middle East
Scott book
List of all datasets
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Iraqi & Regional Ministries of Environment and Agriculture, National & Regional Parks Board (National & Regional Park proposals)
Iraqi State Board of Antiquities & Heritage, UNESCO Secretariat (Iraq World Heritage Sites)
Iraqi Ramsar National Committee, Ramsar Secretariat (Hawizeh Ramsar Site)
UNEP-WDBP, World Conservation Monitoring Centre.
International Coordination Committee for the Safeguarding of the Cultural Heritage of Iraq
BirdLife International
Wetlands International
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Indicator: Institutional Capacity, Policy & Regulatory Framework
A comprehensive overview of the institutional structure of the MOE is presented below. There are approximately 150 ministry staff under the Technical Directorate in Wazirea/Baghdad but there are additional district offices and staff of the MOE throughout the country.
The structure of the MOE was approved in October 2008, as follows:
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Related MoE organizations and directorates
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Central Environment Laboratory (Baghdad)
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Protection and Improvement Directorate – South Region (Basrah)
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Protection and Improvement Directorate – Middle Euphrates Region (Babil)
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Protection and Improvement Directorate – Central Region (Baghdad)
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Protection and Improvement Directorate – Northern Region (Kirkuk)
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Regional Directorates and Local Units of MoE
Within the MOE, the structure of the Technical Directorates within each governorate consists generally of the following units:
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Air Quality Monitoring Unit
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Water (Natural Sources and Drinking) Monitoring Unit
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Solid Waste and Chemical Hazardous Management Unit
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Biodiversity Unit
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Marshlands Unit
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EIA Unit
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Desertification and Land Use Unit
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Industrial Activities Monitoring Unit
Governorate Directorates covered all environmental directories in 14 Governorates, except Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region (including the three Governorates of Erbil, Sulaimaniya and Dohuk),
Each Directorate in the Governorate contain the above units, and special units connected with the deputy minister:
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Sustainable Development,
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Clean and Alternative Energy,
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New and Environmentally Friendly Technologies Unit.
The former the MOE of the Kurdistan Region had three main Governorate Directorates (Dohuk, Erbil and Sulaimaniya). The status of these offices is not known.
Six national committees are managed by the MOE:
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National Committee for Protected Areas
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National Committee for Biological Diversity
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National Committee for Ozone
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National Committee for Ramsar
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National Committee for Climate change
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National Committee for RERAG
Investment Projects
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Designing and construction of 11 buildings for Environmental Directorates in Governorates (2006 – on-going) - $10m USD
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Assessment of pollution with Depleted Uranium (DU) (2008- on-going) - $1m USD
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Air quality monitoring programme (2007- on-going) - $2.5m USD
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Environmental Assessment of polluted military sites (2005-on-going) - $2m USD
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Early Alarm (for radiation) project (2006-on-going) - $1m USD
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Monitoring of radon (2006-2009) - $1m USD
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The biological impact of radiation (2005-2008) - $1m USD
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Digital map for Baghdad (2007- on-going) - $1m USD
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Environmental Database system (2005-on-going) -$0.75m USD
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Water quality and biodiversity in marshlands – (2005-2006) - $0.1USD
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Natural water resources monitoring programme (2005-2009) - $2m USD
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Natural water resources monitoring stations (2006 – 2008) - $47k USD
International Cooperation Projects & Initiatives
In addition to funds provided under the Ministry of Finance, additional funds are made available from international sources for environmental projects in Iraq, such as:
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UNEP Marshlands project (2005-2009) - $11m USD
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UNEP Environmental Hot Spots Site Assessment in Iraq (2004-2005) - $4.7m USD
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UNEP Hazardous Waste and Chemicals Collection and Storage for two sites (Al Qadassiya & Al Suwaira (2008-on-going) - $0.9m USD
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WHO-UNICEF Water Quality Control and Surveillance in Iraq – Phase I, II, & III (2007- Phase III on-going) - $4.3m USD
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WB Emergency Environmental Management (2006- on-going) - $5m USD
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WHO Radiation Pollution Assessment (2003-2005) - $25k USD
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UNEP Capacity Building (2002-2007) –Stage 1 - $6m USD; Stage 2 - $4.3m USD
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WHO Environmental Strategy for Iraq (2009- on-going) - $ unknown
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UNEP-UNESCO Mesopotamian Marshlands World Heritage Site (2009 – on-going) - $3.11m USD
Available information &/or datasets:
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Information/Data Sources:
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Biodiversity Unit exists within the MoE
Center for Research in the Iraqi Marshlands (CRIM, MOWR)
Some Iraqi expertise exists in the area of birds, plants, fish, benthic invertebrates, and other areas with the skills to conduct initial assessments.
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Ministry of Environment
Ministry of Agriculture
Ministry of Water Resources
Ministry of Higher Education
Ministry of Science & Technology
Ministry of Industry and Minerals
Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works
Kurdistan Regional Government Supervisory Committee for the environment
Iraqi Universities
Iraqi NGOs
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Indicator: Stakeholder Capacity
Iraqi non-governmental organizations (and related associations and interest groups) can play a significant part in biodiversity protection and enhancement. Hunting clubs can curtail the hunting of endangered species and self-enforce hunting limitations and seasons. Fisherman associations are important partners in conducting fishery catch assessments and can self-enforce fishing restrictions that benefit the viability of the fisheries. Industry groups can assist with reporting on industry trends effecting biodiversity and educate members on new pollution prevention requirements and/or support. Farmers are key players in the actions to protect the biodiversity of soils and limit threats such as erosion, overgrazing, agricultural chemical runoff, unsustainable water use, and desertification. Environmental organizations can do extensive education and advocacy work on specific targeted issues, often having the ability to act quickly and work at the local community level.
Such organizations, if they existed under the former regime (which often they did not), were usually Baath party-affiliated organizations that were often the causes of biodiversity loss (e.g. The Baghdad Hunting Club was, under the Saddam regime, known for its trafficing in endangered species).
Today these organizations sometimes struggle with lack of funds, information and other resources, poor security, as well as distrust from government officials. They often are not consulted in major management decisions, which may result in opposition to such decisions. Building their institutional capacity and strengthing their communication and working relationship with related government sectors should be viewed as vital to successful biodiversity protection.
Available information &/or datasets:
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Information/Data Sources:
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Stakeholder/NGO Contact List (partial)
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Nature Iraq
Ministry of Environment
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