Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Iraq are generally considered to be of recent origin since the previous regimes greatly restricted the existence of civil society organizations that truly and effectively represented society until 2003, and after the formation of the Coalition Authority in Iraq in 2003, many CSOs emerged and worked to represent society, but without organizing until the issuance of the first general law to organize Iraqi civil society in 2011.
Among the problems that society suffered from during the period 2003-2007 was the emergence a large number of unemployed youth, as well as a large gap in the ability of the private sector to develop the local economy, and at the same time the marginalization of the marginalized and vulnerable groups that were displaced from their areas due to the civil war in Iraq. Therefore, (13) persons met in Tikrit city in Iraq on Sunday 1st July 2007, and discussed these problems. At the end of the meeting, they announced the establishment of an organization under the name “Sahara Economic Development Organization (SEDO)”, the goals, visions, and mandate of the organization were determined. These founders are a mixture of university academics, civilian activists, businessmen and women, youth, and community leaders.
After announcing its establishment, SEDO opened its first office in Tikrit city in August 2007, and get the first official certificate of registration in March 2008, and since that time it has been working on implementing projects and activities to achieve its goals.