20 years later: Iraq’s post-Saddam Hussein struggles with poverty

On the 20th anniversary, public cheering in honor of the historic moment was not as large as it used to be.
The under-the-construction headquarter of Central Bank of Iraq. (Photo: AFP)
The under-the-construction headquarter of Central Bank of Iraq. (Photo: AFP)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Two decades ago, euphoric Iraqis in major cities across the country celebrated the downfall of a tyrannical regime headed by Saddam Hussein, who ruled the land with an iron fist for 30 years. Then, Iraqis yearned for democracy and economic prosperity. Today, large segments of society are facing extreme poverty and unemployment.

The fall of Saddam Hussein’s statue at Firdos Square in Baghdad on April 9, 2003, became the hallmark of the entire occupation of the country by the US-led coalition. In addition to the cheering crowds, the former dictator himself also witnessed the downfall at a secret location nearby, as revealed by one of his associates recently.

On the 20th anniversary, public cheering in honor of the historic moment was not as large as it used to be. Nowadays, approximately 12% of Baghdad residents, the capital of the country that produces 3.2 million barrels of oil per day, are struggling to put food on the table, according to official figures from the Ministry of Planning.

Sadr City, a densely populated quarter in Baghdad, is home to five million people, and the majority of the youth are unemployed, Kurdistan 24 has learned.

“The majority of the youth here are unemployed. I can tell you 10 young men just down this street that does not have a job,” a Sadr resident who did not provide his name told Kurdistan 24 on Saturday.

Even those with a job, working in construction, are unable to make ends meet, another resident told Kurdistan 24.

The oil-rich southern province of Nasiriya is not in better shape, with a poverty rate nearing 45%.

The governorate was rocked by bloody protests in 2019, as young protestors demanded employment opportunities and basic service provisions.

“I have been fasting and working since early in the morning just to feed my eight-member family,” Kazim, a 14-year plastic bag seller and laborer from Muthana governorate, told Kurdistan 24.

Having dropped out of school, the minor has been working since the age of nine in order to support his family.

A significant number of the youth in this province are laborers. 

“The unemployment in this province is due to the absence of tourism, industries, and lack of trade,” Qabil Hamood, the director of Muthana’s planning department, told Kurdistan 24 on Saturday.

Additional reporting by Kurdistan 24 Kirkuk Correspondents Soran Kamaran, Dilan Barzan