The proposed national readiness programme aims to support the Government of Iraq in strengthening the national capacities to effectively access and efficiently manage, track and guide climate financing with particular attention to the requirement of Green Climate Fund (GCF). Guided by Iraq’s national development policies and priorities, the readiness programme will include the preparatory activities to: a)  establish a National Designated Authority (NDA) in Iraq under the leadership by the GCF Focal Point, b) strengthen stakeholders engagement and effective participation, c) assist Iraq in developing a gender‐  responsive country programme including climate change adaptation and mitigation priorities, and d) mapping, prioritizing and capacity assessment of the prospective national entities against GCF accreditation standards. The accomplishment of above readiness activities will lay the foundation for Iraq to kick‐start and make concrete steps toward meeting the need for climate financing in an effective and coordinated way.