This is the first agreement of its kind between the United Nations and a non-governmental organization: the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Bahr Al-Uloom Foundation and the United Nations Development Programme.
It is the first of its kind between the United Nations and a non-governmental organization.
Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Bahr Al-Uloom Foundation and the United Nations Development Programme
Bahr Al-Uloom: "The Southern Project" encourages innovation and youth projects
Mitra: The Bahr Al-Uloom Foundation is the only one capable of representing all segments of the Iraqi people and overcoming all challenges.
On Monday, November 17, 2025, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Iraq signed a joint Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bahr Al-Uloom Charitable Foundation to support resilience to shocks and stresses in Iraq, known as the "South Project." The MoU was signed by His Excellency Dr. Ibrahim Bahr Al-Uloom, Chairman of the Bahr Al-Uloom Foundation, and Mr. Titon Mitra on behalf of UNDP, in the presence of Professor Dr. Zaid Adnan Al-Akeeli, Dean of the Al-Alamein Institute for Graduate Studies, and the heads of the Political Science and Law departments at the Institute. Following the signing, His Excellency Dr. Ibrahim Bahr Al-Uloom presented a commemorative plaque to the UNDP representative.
Following this, the two sides held a joint press conference attended by the media. Dr. Bahr Al-Uloom began by emphasizing that this memorandum of understanding (MOU) has many implications related to the foundation's objectives. He explained that its aim is to establish a partnership between this long-established international organization specializing in development issues and their institution in various areas, including innovation and critical issues of concern to young men and women and researchers at the Al-Alamein Institute for Graduate Studies. He described the MOU as a preliminary step towards a partnership with the UNDP and the Iraqi government for the Southern Development Project. He noted that the UNDP is attempting to present a new, systematic vision for development in Iraq that prioritizes spatial rather than sectoral development. This vision seeks to leverage all governmental efforts across multiple sectors, as well as international expertise. The foundation will serve as an influential social bridge in its relations with communities in the southern governorates. He expressed his hope that the South will become a model of development that can be replicated in other parts of Iraq. He wished for this development to be successful and beneficial for the future of Iraq and its development, particularly in the governorates of Basra, Maysan, Nasiriyah, and Samawah, which have been identified as the focus of this partnership.
For his part, the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Iraq, Titon Mitra, expressed his delight at visiting Najaf, considering it the ideal location to sign the Memorandum of Understanding with the Bahr Al-Uloom Foundation. He added that the Bahr Al-Uloom Foundation is the only institution capable of uniting all segments of the Iraqi people and overcoming all the challenges Iraq has faced. He emphasized that the Bahr Al-Uloom Foundation is undertaking a very important task: bridging the gap between scientific challenges and education for the development of Iraq. He explained that the UNDP wants to leverage these significant capabilities and dedicate them all to development and responding to all the challenges in Iraq. Mitra stated that there is an incredible opportunity in Iraq, born from the challenges of development, while at the same time there are major challenges, including climate change and a large increase in the number of young people seeking employment opportunities. He expressed his confidence that this generation of young people can explore the best technologies and the latest advancements in the world of technology.
The UN official concluded by saying that the institution we are standing in is a distinguished institution in all of Iraq, and it is a different institution in Iraq as well, as we have seen. The specializations available in this institute start from legal specializations, which are related to social sciences, and we hope that they will contribute greatly to the future of development in Iraq in the coming years. The challenges in Iraq cannot be solved by the government alone, but with the support of an institution like the Bahr Al-Uloom Foundation, we can find solutions to some of the challenges in this country. Therefore, we have established a tripartite partnership that brings together the United Nations Development Programme, the Iraqi government and the Bahr Al-Uloom Foundation, describing the agreement as the first agreement that the United Nations has concluded with a non-governmental organization.
