The Role of the State in Addressing the Phenomena of Poverty and Unemployment: The Iraqi Economy as A Model for the Period 2004-2023

Poverty and unemployment constitute the most significant challenges facing economic policymakers in Iraq. Throughout the research period, the researcher observed considerable fluctuations in the rates of these two phenomena. This was due to various reasons, primarily military factors, particularly security. The Iraqi economy suffered numerous security shocks following the political change in 2003. These factors were a major cause of the cessation of work on many economic projects, leading the government to focus on achieving political stability within the country. The crises were exacerbated by the entry of terrorist groups and their occupation of three provinces, which contributed to the displacement of large segments of the population who were subjected to terrorist attacks. This occurred in 2014, and after three years of fighting, Iraq regained control of these provinces and implemented a series of programs that contributed to the return of normalcy. However, unemployment and poverty remained persistent issues plaguing the Iraqi economy, and controlling them became a major concern for the government. Based on this premise, the researcher deemed it necessary to identify the most important factors that contributed to the exacerbation of these two phenomena.