External Assurance Engagement on the Empowerment Guarantee Fund (EGF) managed by the Iraqi Company for Bank Guarantees (ICBG)
International Labour Organization · Iraq · Apply by November 1, 2026
About this role
External Assurance Engagement on the Empowerment Guarantee Fund (EGF) managed by the Iraqi Company for Bank Guarantees (ICBG) Introduction andBackground Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, has faced a series of compounding crises over the past decade, including armed conflict, the rise of ISIL, mass displacement, fiscal instability, the COVID-19 pandemic and fluctuations in global oil prices. These have weakened the labour market, eroded enterprise resilience and exposed structural vulnerabilities in the financial system. Access to finance remains a major constraint for small and medium-sized enterprises. According to the International Finance Corporation, the SME financing gap in Iraq is estimated at nearly USD 6 billion, and only 8 per cent of SMEs hold a business bank account. A particular obstacle is the level of collateral required by banks, which can reach up to 125 per cent of the loan value. The International Labour Organization (ILO), with financial support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and under the leadership of KfW Development Bank, is implementing the Promotion of the Development of SMEs in Iraq Project…