Asset Recovery Bill Tops Parliament’s Agenda as Iraq Steps Up Anti-Corruption Drive

Iraq 04:47 PM - 2026-07-01

Iraqi parliament building.

The Iraqi parliament is set to prioritise the Asset Recovery Bill as it resumes its legislative sessions, with the proposed legislation expected to strengthen efforts by the government and judiciary to prosecute corruption cases and recover misappropriated public funds.

Asset Recovery Bill a Parliamentary Priority

Ahmed Shahid, a member of the Parliamentary Integrity Committee, said the Asset Recovery Bill is among the committee’s top legislative priorities during the upcoming parliamentary term, in line with the government’s wider anti-corruption agenda.

He said the legislation would reinforce the legal framework for safeguarding public funds by establishing comprehensive procedures to prosecute corrupt individuals and ensure they are held fully accountable.

Shahid added that the bill would provide vital legal backing for judicial action against those implicated in corruption, supporting the government’s programme to promote transparency, uphold justice and recover looted state assets.

Focus Shifts to Corruption Networks

Lawmakers say anti-corruption efforts are no longer confined to pursuing lower-ranking officials, but are increasingly targeting the wider networks and influential figures believed to have enabled systemic corruption.

Mohammed al-Khafaji, a member of Parliament’s Legal Committee, said recent investigations have exposed only the visible elements of a deeply rooted corruption system. He argued that prosecuting individuals alone would not be enough, stressing the need to dismantle the networks that protect corrupt figures and to establish stronger oversight mechanisms capable of holding powerful individuals to account.

MP Abdullah Hamed al-Khaikani also said the government’s anti-corruption campaign is expected to intensify in the coming days, with greater focus on senior figures allegedly involved in corruption.

He claimed that a number of projects had been awarded to ministries, including the Ministries of Industry and Minerals and Housing, under the justification of increasing state revenues through public companies. However, subsequent reviews allegedly found that project budgets had been significantly inflated, in some cases amounting to several times their actual cost.

Al-Khaikani called for stronger financial oversight and greater involvement by the Integrity Commission in reviewing projects before contracts are approved. He also urged Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to expand the campaign to Iraq’s provinces, arguing that the fight against corruption should become a permanent institutional process aimed at dismantling corruption networks and eliminating their sources.

Civil Society Voices Back Government Measures

Civil society organisations have broadly welcomed the government’s anti-corruption campaign, describing it as an important step towards reinforcing the rule of law and restoring public confidence in state institutions.

Shaimaa al-Saffar, head of the Tigris River Foundation, described corruption as one of the greatest obstacles to development and public service delivery. She said tackling corruption is a shared national responsibility that requires cooperation between the executive, legislative and judicial authorities, alongside the media and civil society, while calling on citizens to report suspected cases of corruption.

Karim Ali Khalaf, head of the Seed of Hope Network for Social Peace, said the government’s recent actions represent a significant shift in administrative and financial reform. He called for the swift passage of additional integrity legislation introducing tougher legal provisions and penalties to safeguard public funds, close legal loopholes and strengthen oversight mechanisms in line with greater transparency.

Ali Razzaq Lafteh, head of the Tigris Seagulls charity, also expressed full support for the government’s measures, saying they demonstrate a serious commitment to pursuing the misuse of public funds.

He urged the establishment of specialised legal and technical committees across all ministries and government institutions to review contracts and projects awarded in recent years, particularly those under suspicion, and refer any suspected wrongdoing to the judiciary to ensure accountability and recover public money.

Lafteh added that civil society organisations stand ready to support the government’s efforts through public awareness campaigns and initiatives aimed at promoting a culture of integrity as part of a broader national strategy to combat corruption.

Source: Al-Sabah Newspaper

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