Shafaq News – Karbala

On Saturday, the UN Special Representative for Iraq, Mohamed al-Hassan, warned that corruption in state institutions threatens the country’s stability, describing political corruption as “very dangerous.”

“I fear for Iraq if corruption spreads unchecked,” al-Hassan cautioned during an anti-corruption conference at Warith Al-Anbiyaa University in Karbala. “It is not confined to politics but extends to financial, administrative, judicial, scientific, and institutional fields.”

Al-Hassan emphasized that fighting corruption is both a moral and religious duty. “Corrupt societies cannot stand on their feet,” he remarked, calling it a direct obstacle to justice and development. He urged Iraqis to uphold integrity and hold offenders accountable “without selectivity,” while warning against sectarianism and factionalism.

He also outlined the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI)’s initiatives, including programs to strengthen oversight bodies, promote transparency, and build mechanisms that could help establish an independent and corruption-free judiciary.

Iraq ranks among the world’s most corrupt nations. Transparency International placed the country 140th out of 180 in its 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), with a score of 26 out of 100, an indicator of severe corruption.

Analysts trace the problem across political eras: Saddam Hussein’s regime entrenched patronage networks that enriched Baath Party elites, while the post-2003 collapse of state institutions and rise of sectarian politics deepened corruption in contracts and public spending. Today, it persists through bribery, nepotism, and the misappropriation of resources, eroding trust in the judiciary, government, and business sectors.