Italy strengthens support for refugees in Iraq with a significant contribution
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, welcomes a generous contribution from the Government of Italy, through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, to support refugees and asylum seekers across Iraq through the project “Enhancing access to legal assistance and supporting refugees from Syria to return home voluntarily, in safety and with dignity”.
This contribution will help UNHCR provide legal assistance to refugees and asylum seekers at risk of detention or deportation on immigration-related grounds. This includes offering legal counselling and, when needed, legal representation to prevent unlawful detention, secure the release of individuals held on such charges, reduce the risk of deportation, and address broader legal and administrative challenges, including access to civil documentation. Ultimately this support will contribute to the strengthening of refugee and asylum seeker rights in Iraq.
“Italy is proud to continue its partnership with UNHCR in advancing sustainable solutions for refugees and displaced communities. Our commitment to humanitarian aid and protection in Iraq remains steadfast as we collaborate to create lasting change for vulnerable individuals” said H.E. Niccolò Fontana, the Ambassador of Italy to Iraq.
This latest contribution builds on Italy’s 2025 support which enabled UNHCR to provide legal assistance to 5,000 refugees and asylum seekers and cash assistance to 1,000 socioeconomically vulnerable refugee households (5,000 individuals).
It also complements an ongoing Italian-supported project that focuses on expanding refugee access to essential public services in Iraq by strengthening communication between camp management and refugee communities.
“Our partnership with Italy has been instrumental in helping UNHCR support long-term solutions for forcibly displaced populations in Iraq,” said Pauline Fresneau, UNHCR’s Acting Representative in Iraq. “UNHCR deeply appreciates Italy’s continued commitment to international protection, which remains a priority in Iraq as an integral part of solutions for forced displacement” added Ms. Fresneau.
Italy remains one of UNHCR’s key governmental partners both globally and in Iraq. Its support enables UNHCR to respond to the most urgent needs while helping to strengthen national capacities and advance refugee inclusion in public systems and services.
Iraq currently hosts more than 350,000 refugees and asylum seekers, the majority – around 90 percent – from Syria. In 2025, almost 7,000 Syrian registered refugees voluntarily returned home from Iraq, and UNHCR will continue support for voluntary return in 2026. For those who do not wish to return, UNHCR continues to provide sustained support to help refugees’ build their self-reliance and contribute to their host communities in Iraq in collaboration with other UN Agencies and the Government of Iraq.
