LocationsIraq launches landmark asset recovery report to strengthen accountability and recover public funds
June 27, 2026
Baghdad, Iraq – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with the Supreme Judicial Council and with the generous support of the European Union, today launched a landmark report that provides new evidence and practical recommendations to strengthen the recovery of assets and public funds in Iraq.
The report, Recovery of Assets and Funds in Iraq: An Empirical Analysis of Criminal and Civil Proceedings in Light of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, was unveiled during a high-level event attended by senior representatives of the judiciary, the Public Prosecution Office, the Federal Commission of Integrity, government institutions, the European Union, diplomatic missions, and national and international experts.
"Effective asset recovery is essential not only to accountability, but also to public confidence, economic stability, and Iraq's long-term prosperity," said Klemens Semtner, Ambassador of the European Union to Iraq. "For the European Union, protecting public resources is central to strengthening the rule of law, building credible institutions, and creating a more stable environment for sustainable investment."
"Iraq has the legal and institutional foundations for effective asset recovery. The priority now is to make recovery systematic, coordinated, and enforceable. UNDP remains committed to supporting Iraq's reform priorities through technical expertise, comparative experience, and evidence-based policy advice," said Titon Mitra, UNDP Resident Representative in Iraq.
Developed under the UNDP Trial Monitoring Programme, implemented in partnership with the Supreme Judicial Council and with the support of the European Union, the report identifies opportunities to strengthen coordination between criminal proceedings, civil compensation, asset tracing, enforcement, and international cooperation to ensure that public funds are recovered more effectively. It recommends strengthening early asset identification and preservation, improving institutional coordination and information-sharing, expanding the use of mutual legal assistance and cross-border recovery mechanisms, and reinforcing legal and procedural frameworks that support the recovery of public assets.
The report concludes that while Iraq has a legal framework broadly aligned with the United Nations Convention against Corruption, stronger coordination between judicial, investigative, and oversight institutions will be essential to translate successful prosecutions into the effective recovery of public funds.
Recovering public funds not only reinforces accountability, but also enables greater investment in public services, strengthens public institutions, and builds citizens' confidence that corruption has tangible consequences.
The full report is available here: https://www.undp.org/iraq/publications/asset-recovery-iraq
For media inquiries:
Mohammed Al-Bahbahanee, Communications Analyst, UNDP Iraq
mohammed.al-bahbahanee@undp.org
+9647704399222
Al-Sadiq Al-Adili, Press and Communications Officer
EU Delegation to the Republic of Iraq
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