Baghdad: The United Nations affirmed its support for the Iraqi government’s efforts to combat corruption, recover financial assets smuggled abroad, and continue working to resolve the displacement crisis and facilitate the return of displaced persons.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Iraq, Titon Mitra, stated that “Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has presented a comprehensive program to combat corruption, and we in the United Nations support the government’s efforts and priorities in combating corruption. We provide technical support and the necessary tools to ensure significant positive results in this area. This support extends beyond combating corruption to include recovering financial assets smuggled out of Iraq.”

The UN representative emphasized that “the financial assistance programs provided by donors and international organizations to Iraq are very extensive, and we are working in partnership with the Iraqi government to resolve such issues, including the displacement crisis completely.” He explained that “the draft memorandum of understanding recently signed with the government and the Korean agency aims to resolve the displacement crisis in various Iraqi governorates, in cooperation with the government.”

He added, “There is another program allocated by the Iraqi government for the return of Yazidis to their areas in Sinjar district, which we are working on together in cooperation with the government.”

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) recently signed a $10 million grant agreement in Baghdad, in partnership with the Ministry of Migration and Displacement and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). The four-year agreement aims to support more than 18,000 people in the governorates of Anbar, Salah al-Din, Ninewa, and Kirkuk by rehabilitating housing and community infrastructure, supporting climate-resilient livelihoods, and strengthening peacebuilding and conflict prevention capacities, thereby contributing to the support of internally displaced persons, returnees, and host communities.