Al-Halfi speaks about Iraqi funds abroad: “We need a database to recover them.”
Al-Halfi speaks about Iraqi funds abroad: “We need a database to recover them.”
10-13-2026
Information/Special…
MP Sumaya al-Halfi confirmed on Tuesday that Iraqi funds owed abroad include loans granted to other countries, funds smuggled as a result of corruption, confiscated assets, and outstanding financial and contractual claims.
Speaking to Al-Maalouma, al-Halfi stated that “the delay in recovering these funds stems from a number of challenges, most notably international legal complexities, weak cooperation in some cases, the difficulty of tracking assets, and the slow pace of procedures and coordination between relevant Iraqi authorities and their counterparts abroad.”
She added that “the responsibility for following up on these cases is distributed among the Integrity Commission, the Ministries of Justice, Foreign Affairs, and Finance, as well as other relevant bodies, depending on the nature of each case. This necessitates continuous institutional coordination to ensure the pursuit of claims and the protection of Iraq’s financial rights.”
Al-Halfi explained that “one of the most significant challenges is the lack of a unified public statement detailing the total amount owed to Iraq abroad, the amounts actually recovered, and the remaining balances under investigation.” She called for “the establishment of an updated national database containing details of these cases and their legal stages.”
She pointed to “the necessity of establishing a clear timeline for recovering the funds, defining the responsibilities of the relevant parties, and holding those responsible accountable, while enhancing transparency regarding the results of the follow-up and the obstacles preventing the recovery of financial dues.”
Al-Halfi stressed that “Iraq’s funds represent the rights of the people and resources that can contribute to supporting the budget and financing services and development projects,” emphasizing “the importance of distinguishing between the amounts claimed and the funds that have actually been recovered and entered the state treasury, to ensure the accuracy of revenue calculations and to avoid treating uncollected dues as available resources.”
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