UN Praises Government Efforts... EU Ambassador: Iraq Advances 14 Places In Transparency International's 2024 Report

Baghdad / NINA /- The second phase of the project “Initiatives to Promote Arbitration and Combat Corruption for Environmental Justice” was launched in Baghdad on Tuesday. The project is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the Iraqi government and funded by the European Union.

EU Ambassador to Iraq, Clemens Semtner, stated that the new phase aims to support Iraq’s economic development, noting that the first phase helped strengthen the administrative structure of Iraqi institutions responsible for combating corruption and enhanced investigative journalism capacities. He highlighted Iraq’s 14-rank improvement in the 2024 Transparency International Index, reflecting progress in national anti-corruption efforts.

Semtner added that the second phase will focus on linking climate protection with anti-corruption mechanisms, stressing that ready-to-implement programs have already been developed.

For his part, Deputy Chairman of the Federal Integrity Commission, Ahmed Abdullah Al-Jubouri, announced the start of the second phase for the period 2025–2027, following the completion of the first phase (2021–2025). He explained that the new phase will emphasize environmental justice and the use of artificial intelligence in combating corruption, especially amid Iraq’s growing environmental challenges such as desertification and water scarcity.

Meanwhile, UNDP Resident Representative in Iraq, Tweedon Mitra, praised the Integrity Commission’s commitment to its mandate and considered Iraq’s progress in the transparency index an achievement that should be further advanced. He also commended the government’s efforts to link anti-corruption tools with climate action, noting that Iraq is the first country in the region to adopt such an integrated approach.

Mitra stressed that economic development must not come at the expense of the environment and expressed appreciation for the continued support of the EU Mission in achieving the project’s objectives./ End