The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) kicked off Monday a 15 million euro initiative aimed at curbing corruption in the country and bolstering transparency and public accountability.
The move came as Iraqi President Barham Salih proposed a draft law to combat corruption and recover an estimated $150 billion smuggled abroad since 2003.
Salih presented the draft law to parliament to recover the stolen funds and hold perpetrators to account.
“It will provide the necessary tools to the country’s legal system and relevant institutions to proactively combat the theft of people’s wealth,” said Salih.
Launched in partnership between the EU delegation to Iraq, UNDP and Iraqi federal and Kurdistan state institutions, the new project builds on Iraq’s national efforts to improve transparency and accountability across state institutions and supports Iraq to deliver to its national and international commitments with regard to the fight against corruption.
It also aims to improve the country’s legislative and strategic framework for combatting corruption, supports the justice sector to better process corruption offences, and also empower Iraqi civil society to take a more active role. “Overall, this project enhances Iraq’s compliance with the UN Convention against Corruption, ratified in 2008, and contributes to creating a more conducive environment for attracting economic investments,” said a UNAMI statement viewed by Asharq Al-Awsat.
EU Ambassador to Iraq Martin Huth stresses that the fight against corruption requires a joint and united effort, from the Iraqi government, state institutions, and an ever vigilant and watchful Iraqi society.
“With the launch of this important initiative, the EU offers critical support to Iraqi state institutions mandated in the integrity domain,” he said, adding that the project helps Iraq deliver on its own national and international commitments and respond to the clear expectations of Iraqi citizens to rid Iraq of the plague of corruption.
“I look forward to seeing a continued strong political will, national ownership and joint steering of this initiative for the benefit of Iraq and its people,” Huth noted.
Resident Representative of UNDP Iraq Zena Ali Ahmad recalled that the Iraqi people have taken to the streets to demand action against corruption.
“Their voices are louder than ever and should no longer be ignored. By strengthening transparency and public accountability through robust anti-corruption reforms, we aim to increase access to the rule of law and restore the public’s confidence in the institutions that serve them,” she said.
Ali Ahmad stressed that UNDP is extremely grateful to its longstanding partnership with the EU, which has taken a bold commitment to supporting one of the most complex and challenging undertakings in Iraq, and to its partners across the Iraqi and Kurdish Region state institutions for entrusting UNDP to lead this effort.
