Today, the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) published a Country of Origin Information (COI) Report titled Iraq – Actors of Protection. The report provides information relevant for the international protection status determination for Iraqi asylum seekers. It is one of a series of four Iraq reports that will be released in 2018. Other forthcoming reports will cover the socio-economic situation, internal mobility, and targeted profiles. A security situation report will be published in early 2019.

In 2017, Iraq ranked second among the most common countries of origin, with more than 52 500 persons applying for international protection in the EU+ countries. In 2018, fewer asylum applications were lodged by Iraqi nationals in EU+ countries. Despite this decrease, Iraq was the third most common country of origin of applicants in the EU+, with close to 35 000 applicants recorded between January and October 2018. At the end of October 2018, around 26 000 cases awaited a first-instance decision.

The primary focus of the report is on the state’s functioning in guaranteeing the protection of its citizens in the context of civilian security and justice. The central institutions that fulfil critical functions such as the Ministries of Interior and Defence, as well as the judiciary, and oversight bodies are examined in terms of capacity, mandate, effectiveness and integrity. 

The EASO COI report Iraq – Actors of Protection was co-drafted by the EASO COI Sector, with research contributions by the Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs, in accordance with the EASO COI Report Methodology. The report was reviewed by the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board and the Slovakia Migration Office’s Department of Documentation and Foreign Cooperation. In addition, the report was reviewed by the external expert Dr Geraldine Chatelard, social anthropologist and historian of the contemporary Middle East.