The Iraqi Center for Development opened Jan. 5 in Washington as a non-profit organization committed to strengthening relations between the U.S. and Iraq.

Its goal is to “reconstruct the Iraqi state and improve the lives of millions through economic revitalization, the strengthening of educational institutions and the solidification of the Iraqi-American relationship,” according to its federal filing.

The Iraqi government offered seed money to ICD to enable it to “get up and running as an organization.” Budget talks are ongoing.

ICD is headed by Karim Almusawi, a key ally of Iraq’s embattled prime minister Nouri al-Maliki. He had been U.S. representative of al-Maliki’s political party, the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq.

The Center plans an aggressive outreach program, targeting public officials, media, think tanks and educational groups.