More than 400 applications have been received so far to participate in the "Iraqis Rebuilding Iraq" (IRI) programme, a joint initiative of the Ministry of Planning and Development Cooperation (MoPDC), IOM and the UN's Development Programme (UNDP), which started last September.

Continued violence and conflict in Iraq has led to the 'brain drain' of many of the country's top professionals, across all sectors. At least one million Iraqis have fled to neighbouring countries since the first Gulf War in 1991 while internal displacement of another one million people is also impacting upon the country's socio-economic infrastructure.

Academics, such as teaching staff and professors, are in especially heavy demand by the Ministry of Education and Iraqi Universities, particularly for the academic year commencing September 2006. In the same vein, medical professionals who can train Iraqi medical staff are also urgently needed across the country. The programme is seeking qualified Iraqi expatriates to match positions prioritized by the Iraqi MoPDC.

According to Dr. Sami Matti, the Deputy Minister for Administration of the MoPDC: "The IRI programme is one of the development programmes really showing tangible results. It is frustrating as many projects are on hold due to the security situation. However, IRI is going ahead and for this reason, we wish to extend the programme until mid 2007."

Interested candidates have applied from countries many countries, including UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, UAE, Jordan and Lebanon. Applications also cover a wide geographical area, with approximately one third of the people requesting to be assigned to Baghdad, a quarter in Iraq's northern governorates and the remainder across the rest of the country.

One of the already selected candidates is Dr. Abbas, originally from Sulaimaniyeh, who fled Iraq more than two decades ago as a political refugee during the Iran-Iraq war. A senior lecturer in child psychology in Sweden, Dr. Abbas is now returning to Iraq to work closely with a university department in northern Iraq.

"The field of child mental health is one which we don't pay enough attention to in the Arab region. It is estimated that over 40 per cent of children in Iraq suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder because of the ongoing conflict. This number could even be much higher in some locations. My area of speciality is a new field for Iraqis and through my assignment, I hope to encourage more attention to this area so that we can catch up with international standards," said Dr. Abbas.
 
Although the programme is to be extended, Rafiq Tschannen, IOM Iraq chief of mission, is encouraging Iraqi expatriate experts who wish to register to do so soon as the last placements will commence November 2006.

"This is an important opportunity for Iraqi professionals abroad to contribute to the development of their country within the framework of the new government, so we encourage all Iraqis who may be interested to contact us, so that we can match appropriate vacancies with available skills,' he said.