A meeting organized by the Iraqi National Security Advisory and with the IOM and UNDP is held to discuss the role of community leaders in the return and reintegration of displaced Iraqis, in Irbil, Iraq, on 23 June 2022. [Getty]
The Iraqi Integrity Commission has launched an investigation into corruption allegations linked to the UN’s work in Iraq, following accusations of bribery published earlier this month by British newspaper The Guardian.
The announcement was made on the Commission’s official Facebook page.
The Guardian report alleged UN employees in Iraq working under a United Nations Development (UNDP) programme had accepted bribes from Iraqi businessmen to secure contracts for reconstruction projects.
The Integrity Commission responded by forming a team to investigate the claims and is seeking evidence and clarifications from the newspaper’s editors, according to its statement.
The UN mission in Iraq (UNAMI) confirmed the departure of its Special Representative, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, but distanced itself from the corruption allegations against sister agency UNDP and denied this was linked to the scandal.
UNAMI emphasised its commitment to “accuracy” and urged the media to avoid “misleading information.”
“UNAMI would like to set the record straight regarding the recent circulation of misleading reports in various Iraqi traditional and social media outlets concerning the departure of Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert,” said the UNAMI in a statement on Wednesday.
“UNAMI emphasises that the SRSG’s departure in May aligns with usual practices within the United Nations, including the standard rotation of senior UN officials,” it added.
Hennis-Plasschaert concluded her five-year term on 6 February, calling for Iraq to remain neutral in regional conflicts.
She faced criticism during her tenure for alleged bias towards certain Iraqi factions, according to our Arabic service Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.
What is the UNDP accused of in Iraq?
According to the investigation by The Guardian,…
