UN, Iraqi govt outline plans for aid through 2010

BAGHDAD: The United Nations and the Iraqi government have signed an agreement outlining a new strategy for streamlining aid to the wartorn country through 2010.

Senior UN official David Shearer says the main focus will be on strengthening government capacity and expanding the private sector to provide jobs.

Shearer says that there's ``a real moment of opportunity in Iraq'' as the UN gains more access to many parts of the country where security is better now.

The United Nations largely pulled out of Iraq after the deadly 2003 bombing of its headquarters in Baghdad and other attacks. But in recent months, it has been raising its profile here.

The UN says Wednesday's agreement is the ``first of its kind'' in Iraq since the 1990s.