For a decade after the 2003 invasion Iraq ranked at the very bottom of Transparency International’s Corruption Index. In recent years the country has been getting better scores. This appears to be mostly because other countries are doing worse than any real improvement by Iraq.
In 2024 Iraq received a score of 26 out of 100 on the Corruption Index. The lower the score the worse the country was doing. The previous three years Iraq got a 23. After the fall of Saddam Hussein the country was in single digits.
In the Middle East and North Africa Iraq was sixth from the bottom with Syria, Yemen, Libya, Lebanon and Iran below it. The United Arab Emirates got the best score with a 68 out of 100.
It’s hard to see how Iraq improved its score on the index. Last year the Theft of the Century was revealed where over $2.5 billion was stolen from the tax commission. The head of the anti-corruption Integrity Commission Judge Haidar Hanoun was forced to resign in October after he accused another judge of helping to cover up that crime. Every week there are other stories of government theft and graft.
Corruption is part of Iraq’s political system with the ruling parties using their positions to enrich themselves. This is true in many countries. The difference is that Iraq has more money to steal with its vast oil wealth. The reason for Iraq’s better score then is likely due to other countries in the region doing worse rather than any real change in Baghdad.
Iraq’s Score On Corruption Perceptions Index
2024 – 26
2023 – 23
2022 – 23
2021 – 23
2020 – 21
2019 – 20
2018 – 18
2017 – 18
2016 – 17
2015 – 16
Middle East Countries Ranked On Corruption Index 2024
UAE #23 Score 68/100
Israel #30 Score 64
Qatar #38 Score 59
Saudi Arabia #38 Score 59
Oman #50 Score 55
Bahrain #53 Score 53
Jordan #59 Score 49
Tunisia #92 Score 39
Morocco #99 Score 37
Algeria #107 Score 34
Egypt #130 Score 30
Iraq #140 Score 26
Iran #151 Score 23
Lebanon #154 Score 22
Libya #173 Score 13
Yemen #173 Score 13
Syria #177 Score 12
SOURCES
Transparency International, “Corruption Perceptions Index 2024,” 2/11/25
- “CPI 2024 For The Middle East & North Africa: Corruption Linked To Authoritarianism, But Calls For Reform Emerging,” 2/11/25
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