Iraqi Italian talks expected to sign joint agreement against corruption

The Head of the Integrity Commission, Mohammed Ali Al-Lammi, announced on Wednesday ongoing efforts to conclude a bilateral memorandum of understanding with the Italian Anti-Corruption Authority. An official statement by the commission indicated that Al-Lammi stressed, during his meeting with the Italian Ambassador to Baghdad, Niccolo Fontana, the pivotal role of international efforts to curb corruption risks based on the United Nations Convention, which Iraq joined via Law No. 35 of 2007, emphasizing the importance of activating provisions related to prevention, criminalization, law enforcement, and legal assistance, alongside international cooperation in recovering assets and fugitives. The head of the commission expressed his aspiration to strengthen relations with anti-corruption agencies in Italy and enhance communication with the financial police to benefit from their expertise, in addition to seeking a memorandum of understanding with the Italian National Anti-Corruption Authority, calling on Italian companies and the business sector to enter the Iraqi market and invest amid efforts to create a secure investment environment protected from corrupt practices, foremost of which are extortion and bribery. For his part, the Italian ambassador pointed to the heavy financial and economic losses incurred by the global economy and various sectors due to corruption, expressing the readiness of Italian regulatory bodies to boost cooperation with their Iraqi counterparts, particularly in developing legislative frameworks, legal assistance in recovering funds and wanted persons, as well as exchanging expertise and qualifying staff.