Topic: 2025 – Criminal Accountability of UN Officials
Country: Iraq
Delegate Name: Noah Nelson
Legal Committee
Criminal Accountability of UN Officials
Republic of Iraq
Noah Nelson
Forest Hills Eastern
The world loses an estimated 3 trillion dollars a year from corruption and bribery. That is roughly 5% of the world’s global GDP. Around the world 1 out of 4 people pay a bribe to access rudimentary services like the police, courts, healthcare, schools, etc. Iraq has taken large steps to remove corruption from its domain. Iraq has been committed to removing corrupt officials ever since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003. The switch from a single party authoritarian leadership to a federal republic has left residual corruption, which Iraq is determined to stamp out. Importantly, Iraq has joined the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA), which helps nations discuss the best practices, training, and international cooperation to combat internal corruption. Furthermore, this initiative also supports legal aid clinics for communities inflicted by environmental corruption as well as providing whistleblowing tools for environmental violations. The UNCAC has made motions to combat corruption within countries by delivering a database of tools and preventive methods to end internal corruption.
Iraq is committed to ending government corruption. Iraq has taken steps to combat said corruption in their own country as well as internationally. The Federal Integrity Commission (Col) is preparing a six-year national anti-corruption strategy to remove corrupt politicians starting in 2025. As of 2019 the UNDP, in collaboration with Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council and others, monitored 184 cases showing incredible progress in prosecuting high-level corruption cases. The Iraqi Integrity Commission claims to have recovered 51 corruption suspects from abroad, proving stronger international cooperation. In addition the Iraqi government has issued over 220 travel bans to suspected corrupt government officials.
Iraq suggests that the UNDP approve funding to monitor high level corruption courts across the globe. Iraq, together with UNDP, is urging legal reforms like the Access to Information Law. According to UNDP, this law would improve and make government spending more transparent. Iraq believes that the UN should take a key advisorship role in ending government corruption for good. The UN is a necessary partner in this endeavor.
