On May 22, 2003, the United Nations Security Council unanimously approved Resolution 1483 outlining reconstruction efforts in Iraq. While the resolution grants the United States, which currently occupies Iraq, wide latitude in organizing a post-war Iraqi government and overseeing extensive reconstruction efforts, it also provides for significant input from the United Nations. The UN and other members of the international community now have a responsibility to utilize their experience in multilateral cooperation to ensure that the ongoing reconstruction process is effective, fair, and consistent.

A new publication from the Open Society Institute and the United Nations Foundation, Reconstructing Iraq: A Guide to the Issues, considers the implications of U.N. Resolution 1483 from political, economic, social, and historical perspectives. It provides concise background information on recent post-war reconstruction efforts in other nations as well as on the unique challenges presented by Iraq.