Corruption in Iraq is pervasive at all levels of government. In 2021, President Barham Salih stated that US$150 billion of oil money had been stolen and smuggled out of Iraq in corrupt deals since the 2003 U.S. invasion.[1] Endemic corruption pervades Iraq's oil and gas sectors, which still account for more than 99 percent of the country's exports and 85 percent of the government's budget.[2] The Iraqi economy is predominantly a cash economy, making it almost impossible to trace the amount or the path the money follows.[3]
Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index scores 180 countries on a scale from 0 ("highly corrupt") to 100 ("very clean") and then ranks the countries by their score; the country ranked first is perceived to have the most honest public sector.[4] From 2013 to 2024, the Corruption Perceptions Index indicated that the Iraqi public sector was seriously corrupt but improving: Iraq's score remained constant or rose every year, rising from 16 to 26 over the twelve years. Its 2024 score of 26 ranked it 140th of 180 countries. For comparison with regional scores, the average score among Middle Eastern and North African countries [Note 1] was 39. The highest score among Middle Eastern and North African countries was 68 and the lowest score was 12.[5] For comparison with worldwide scores, the average score was 43, the best score was 90 (ranked 1), and the worst score was 8 (ranked 180).[6]
- ^ Tawfeeq, Mohammed (23 May 2021). "Iraq estimates that $150 billion of its oil money has been stolen from the country since the US-led invasion of 2003". CNN. Archived from the original on 2021-05-23. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
- ^ Watkins, Simon (11 April 2023). "TotalEnergies Pushes Ahead With Iraq Megadeal Despite Huge Risks". Oilprice.com.
- ^ "Iran's Trail Of Political And Economic Chaos: Part I – The Iraqi Experience". MEMRI. September 1, 2020.
- ^ "The ABCs of the CPI: How the Corruption Perceptions Index is calculated". Transparency.org. 11 February 2025. Retrieved 6 March 2025.
- ^ "CPI 2024 for the Middle East & North Africa: Corruption linked to authoritarianism, but calls for reform emerging". Transparency.org. 11 February 2025. Retrieved 6 March 2025.
- ^ "Corruption Perceptions Index 2024: Iraq". Transparency.org. Retrieved 6 March 2025.
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