For years, Iraq¡¯s participation in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) was challenged by inconsistent reporting, underdeveloped data systems, and limited coordination across government entities. With oil revenues accounting for over 90% of state income, the absence of clear, timely, and accessible data had long constrained public trust and fiscal accountability.
In 2024, with the next EITI validation on the horizon, Iraq intensified its efforts to rebuild credibility and reestablish transparency in the extractives sector, and in December 2024, the Council of Ministers issued a decree reaffirming Iraq¡¯s commitment to EITI and resolving critical funding issues for the national secretariat.
In March 2025, the EITI Board validated Iraq under the 2019 Standard, recognizing the country¡¯s efforts to improve public disclosure, strengthen state-owned enterprise transparency, and deepen civil society engagement.
A key driver of this progress was the support provided through the World Bank¡¯s Extractives Global Programmatic Support (EGPS) trust fund. This assistance focused on building the capacity of Iraq¡¯s EITI Secretariat, improving disclosures from state-owned enterprises, and facilitating multi-stakeholder coordination.
¡°This milestone is a testament to Iraq¡¯s commitment to increasing transparency in the management of oil revenues,¡± said Clelia Rontoyanni, Practice Manager for Governance in MENA. ¡°The World Bank will continue to support Iraq¡¯s efforts to achieve full compliance with the 2023 EITI Standard and advance broader governance reforms agenda to enable government institutions to deliver better outcomes for citizens.¡±
The World Bank also worked closely with the Natural Resources Transparency Commission (NRTC), Iraq¡¯s EITI Multi-Stakeholder Group, and the Ministries of Oil and Finance to help address long-standing reporting gaps.
¡°This is a significant milestone for Iraq and a strong example of how strategic technical support and country commitment can drive meaningful reform,¡± said Emanuel Salinas, World Bank Country Manager for Iraq.
From the Iraqi side, Mr. Alaa Mohie El-Deen, Executive Director and National Coordinator of NRTC, emphasized: ¡°This validation reflects our joint effort with the World Bank and EITI International Secretariat. We greatly appreciate the Bank¡¯s technical support, which helped us overcome key challenges and put Iraq¡¯s transparency efforts back on track.¡±
Looking ahead, Iraq is expected to implement 27 corrective actions before its next validation in 2027. These include enhancing the timeliness and accessibility of extractives data, ensuring open-format reporting, and embedding transparency practices across key government institutions.
The World Bank will continue to support these efforts, working with national counterparts to further strengthen transparency, accountability, and fiscal governance in Iraq¡¯s oil and gas sector.
