While Iraq is a potentially wealthy country due to huge oil deposits, decades of wars and sanctions have led to the collapse of infrastructure and social services.

Under the Public Distribution System (PDS) every Iraqi, irrespective of income level, is entitled to a monthly food ration for a nominal fee.

[3] In May 2009 Iraqi Trade Minister Abdel Falah al-Sudani resigned and was later arrested amid allegations of corruption and embezzlement linked to the nation's food assistance programme.

[4] Sudani, a member of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Shiite Dawa faction, had been questioned by parliament over claims relating to imports for Iraq's food rationing programme.

It aims to encourage private sector development by removing regulations blocking trade and investment, eliminating import licensing rules, and embarking on wide-ranging projects to promote a new trading environment in Iraq: an anti-corruption drive, a consumer welfare and protection unit, a “Baghdad International Fair" site and the leasing of Iraqi shopping centers to private developers.