Iraq has climbed four spots in Transparency International's global Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), according to Haider Hanoun, head of the country’s anti-corruption body. Speaking at the Arab Forum for Enhancing Transparency and Good Governance in Baghdad on Tuesday, Hanoun announced that Iraq ranked 153rd out of 180 countries, improving from its 157th position in the 2022 report. The country also placed seventh among Arab nations, scoring 23 out of 100 points.

Hanoun attributed this improvement to Iraq’s cooperation with Transparency International and the government's ongoing efforts to tackle corruption. “The scientific steps we’ve taken have contributed to Iraq’s better ranking,” he noted.

Despite the progress, Iraq remains plagued by deep-rooted corruption, which has cost the state billions of dollars. Official estimates suggest that over $400 billion has been lost to corruption since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani has made combatting corruption a top priority for his administration. Speaking at the UN General Assembly last year, Sudani emphasized that efforts are underway to bring those responsible to justice, regardless of their positions or political affiliations.

However, these efforts have been overshadowed by the recent “Heist of the Century,” where an estimated $2.5 billion was stolen from Iraq’s tax coffers by five companies during the tenure of former Finance Minister Ali Allawi. An investigation by the finance ministry revealed the massive theft in October 2022, which remains unresolved.

Last week, Hanoun called for a special parliamentary session to address the case, warning that the credibility of Iraq’s integrity commission is at risk. As the government faces mounting pressure to recover the stolen funds, the country’s long-standing fight against corruption continues.