CoI commissioner: fighting corruption requires combination between practical and theoretical aspects and making benefit of the successful global experiences.
Al-Yasiri calls the State institutions for adopting a scientific approach to combat corruption in its offices.
Secretary General of Al-Kadhimiya Holy Shrine: the task of CoI of fighting corruption considered a noble one that simulated to the mission of prophets and reformers.
Recommendation of the conference: suggesting forming a Control Council on Investment Projects and emphasizing the monitoring the government contracting officers.
From the land of the two brave imams Musa Bin J’afer and Mohamad Al-Jawad (peace be upon them) in which it is redolent of the fragrance of prophecy and blessing of honesty, faith and integrity, in cooperation with the General Secretariat of the Al-Kadhymia Holy shrine and with the participation of 35 researches presented by different Iraqi universities, the activity of the 10th Annual Scientific Conference of CoI entitled (confronting corruption- roles and obligations) was launched.
CoI commissioner, Dr. Hassan AL-Yasiri emphasized in his speech in the conference attended by the Secretary General of Al-Kadhymia Holy Shrine, Dr. Jamal Al-dabbagh, number of Inspectors General, presidents of universities, deans of colleges, academic staff, professors, researchers, clerics and preachers, that CoI has achieved a significant awareness-raising revolution during the past period of its work. CoI was able, through the awareness-raising programs, educational approaches, campaigns and plans achieved during the last two years, to change the stereotyped image that deeply rooted in the mind about combating corruption methods, indicating that all society’s factions were involved especially the universities, research centers, religious institutions and the preachers for the purpose of delivering its message to the public as it believed that fighting corruption is a joint responsibility that all society factions should involve in without any exception.
Dr. Al-Yasiri stressed in his speech in the conference entitled (We Unite against Corruption), on the importance of combining between the practical and theoretical aspects in fighting corruption, calling for the necessity of getting benefit of the successful global experiences in combating corruption through simulating the previous global experiences such as the successful experience of Singapore, Malaysia and other countries. He indicated that CoI, in accordance with this principle, has concluded several memorandums of understanding, mutual cooperation and information exchange agreements with several countries who have been working on such successful issues of this field for long time. Moreover, he mentioned that fighting corruption task should be based on a certain permanent vision in order to be able to achieve the will then to develop an effective fighting corruption mechanism, warning of attributing corruption accusations to all state institutions under the pretext of presence a corrupted persons within them.
He added that CoI supported the government institutions and ministries to have a certain permanent approach in fighting corruption through developing a comprehensive and practical vision on fighting corruption and a (Road Plan of Combating Corruption) in addition to achieving the National Anti-Corruption Strategy for the years (2016-2020), calling the different government institutions to develop a scientific and practical approach of fighting corruption. He clarified that fighting corruption task shall not be done only through adopting a scientific and practical approach on the level of the State, Parliament, universities and the other factions of society, especially the religious institutions that are heavily depended on in raising the awareness on reforms, selecting the best, the inviolability of the public money and the risk of exacerbating the societal corruption on the countries future, pointing out that CoI’ objective is to deliver its message to all the society factions.
For his part, the secretary- general of Al-kadhymia holy shrine, Dr. Jamal AL-dabbagh, stressed in his speech during the conference, that CoI’s works raises up to the level of the work of the prophets and reformists because it is a noble mission seeks to reform the society, noting that fighting corruption has become a global issue that occupies the world’s states, institutions and societal organizations, and calling for the state ministries and institutions to support the oversight bodies, CoI at the forefront, which has developed an approach, as well as a clear and practical vision to fight against corruption. The conference witnessed holding two scientific meetings; the first one headed by professor Nabeel kadhim Abdul sahib, president of Al-Nahrien university, addressed the research entitled (Efficiency of Legislation organizing oversight bodies work and its integral in the field of fighting corruption) by the researchers Dr. Aseel Jabbar Anbar and Dr. Ali Samir from the BSA; the research entitled (Towards Promoting Institutional System Supporting Societal Integrity) submitted by the searchers Ahmed Sattar Al e’nizy from the ministry of justices’ IGs offices, while the third research entitled (International Organizations and the role in supporting Iraq efforts in fighting corruption) submitted by the Prof. Wa’el Mohammed Isma’el, Jassim Mohammed Izz ALdien from the department of law- AL-Yarmouk University College).
On the other hand, the second meeting headed by the professor Abbass Al-hussaini from the ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Researches, presented three researches; the first entitled (CSOs role in promoting Integrity Values and Fighting Corruption) submitted by the prof Firass Saleh Khuder Aljobouri/ college of Education of Human Sciences- university of Tikreet); the second entitled (The Role of Religion and Religious Institutions in Disseminating Integrity Culture within the Iraqi Society) presented by Dr. Batoul Farouk ALhassoun from the college of Jurisprudence/ university of Al-Kufa.
The third research was under the title (the new national media strategy in facing corruption and combating corruption in Iraq) submitted by (Dr. Salwa Ahmed Midan and Dr.Jamil Hussein Al-Damin from college of law and political sciences- Kirkuk University).
The conference concluded with the number of recommendations in the legal and awareness axes. The legal axis stressed on the necessity of taking measures of good governance, integrity and the rule of law, calling the Iraqi legislator to form a council to supervise the federal projects and tighten the supervision of workers in contracting formations and orders of employment and seconding in its committees, as well as other recommendations.
The recommendations included in the awareness axis called for raising awareness among university students about the dangers of corruption on society and activating the role of the national media by preparing media campaigns in coordination with the national oversight bodies, forming a national alliance with the monitoring media in the country and taking practical mechanisms to limit the delinquency of some to accused others arbitrarily without search or scrutiny
Following is the full text of the recommendations of the Conference:
Recommendations of the 10th Annual Scientific Conference of Commission of Integrity.
First: Legal Axis
1- Adopting norms of good governance, integrity and strengthening rule of law, as well as supporting transparency in decision-making contribute to an active role in building state institutions that meet required typical standards for establishing modern state, as that rules of this state and its leaders first to adapt in anti-corruption and service misconduct.
2- We suggest to the Iraqi legislator to form a council called(Control Council on Investment Projects) to be linked to the premiership, its task prepare reports on extent to which investors implement their investments according to drawings, plans and the agreed period between the two parties.
3- In order to have the best governmental contracts from the technical, financial and legal aspects in carrying out of projects, oversight should be strengthened and activated on employees specialty working in the contract office, issued orders of employment to work in those offices, issued orders of forming the committees, referral and opening committees, analysis committees and bid evaluation, in order to ensure the availability of functional specialty to work in it for obtaining an efficient contractor, which is reflected in the speed and quality of carrying out of the referred project.
4- The need for effective cooperation among all bodies and authorities of state in fighting corruption field and make great efforts and synergy for confronting and eliminating it, because it is a sacred national mission.
5- The need for making political reform on tab of other sorts of reform, because any attempt to eliminate corruption, without taking serious and actual procedures at the level political reform, is failure already under the protection provided by political umbrella for the corrupt in all institutional sectors.
6- Bridge the gaps in administrative system and modernizing it in accordance with modern sprit, adapting current technical and informational progress to serve integrity, adopting principle of good governance and activating the work of principles of honest administration in a way that doesn’t allow corruption penetrate inside governmental office or economic institution and create good administration throughout administrative reform, facilitate administrative petitions, in addition to update the law in all that concern and punishing their its pperpetrators, with attention to complaints related to corruption and in the private sector through support oversight and legislation systems and emphasize on commitment of professional ethics.
7- Setting strict scientific standards for selecting honest person in deferent important positions and evaluating his performance periodically, as well as the justice in employment, selection, distribution of positions, competition, and limiting the powers that could be exploited for personal gains.
8- We call the Iraqi legislator to govern state institutions as a comprehensive oversight system, and one of the pillars of these system is the internal control in particular, and these results in intensified efforts to fight corruption.
9- The necessity of tighten the corruption crimes penalty and amended the punitive laws for the seriousness of committed crimes in order to eliminate such crimes.
10- Any person commits corruption crime shall be deprived from election on the level of councils of governorates and parliament.
11- Commission powers shall be expanded to the extent that it can fulfill its responsibilities.
12. It is necessary to settle the files of corruption referred by oversight bodies, especially the commission of Integrity, and to urge the judiciary to consider these files from urgent issues because it is importance in deterring corrupters and providing an environment of reform at different levels.
Second: Educational Axis:
1. Raising the educational of youth sector in universities about corruption issues by raising the capacity of universities to develop specialized curricula in the way to how build a national integrity system, identify with concepts of integrity, accountability and transparency, identify the corruption and its risks, results and the ways of fighting it.
2. Activation of national media role by preparing media campaigns in coordination with all oversight bodies; to spread the awareness among citizens and provide them with correct and sufficient information about forms, methods and consequences of corruption and the way to effectively deal with corrupters and its impact on society.
3. It is necessary that the religious institutions take the important role in creating a society without of corruption by spreading awareness and educating people about the value of integrity and honesty, maintain public money, refusing the corruption and giving ideal of commitment and honesty by focusing on the personality of the great Prophet (peace be upon them).
4. Intensify holding of awareness and education training courses in all state offices and public sector to awareness with maintain public money and what is the disciplinary and penal sanctions that may be exposed to the employee in the case of violation of this obligation.
5. We suggest formation of national coalition of mass media monitoring to educate and reduce the corruption in the country via taking of studied scientific mechanisms adopted by all mass media and based on evidences and professionalism away from the accusations without examination.
6. Selecting of employees according to the principles and standards of qualification, integrity and experiences as an important human resources.
7. Working on establishing civil society organizations concerned with integrity’s issues and transparency as well as developing their effectiveness and ability to observe and expose cases of corruption and deliver a clear message to masses that rejects the corruption and stressing on the value of integrity, transparency and honesty.
8. Put the shield on honest employee who has proved, during his career, maintain public money and in performing function duty honesty and transparent.
9. Considering process of fight corruption as participation lies its responsibility on citizen, civil society organization, government, offices and all ministries as well as parliament and not limited to specific entity.
10 . Carrying out filed researches and studies on corruption and the economic and social consequences resulted from it; in order to find the effective solutions to fight it.
11 . Preparing and implementing joint work programs between governmental and non-governmental institutions via successful cooperation to build honest human that rejects the corruption.
