Iraq today signed Memorandum of Understanding with the UN, to support the efforts in Iraq for fighting corruption. The Memorandum was signed by the Iraqi representative, the CoI commissioner Judge Alaa J. Hameed, , and the deputy regional representative of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime for the Middle East and North Africa Leif Villadsen

During the ceremony of signing the Memorandum, the UN deputy regional representative has declared that the provisions of this Memorandum back the efforts of both public and private organizations in fighting corruption crimes. It also aims to address the effects and dangerous impact of corruption on the performance of the democratic institutions. The Memorandum, as well as, focuses on forcing laws and accomplishing the developmental plans to achieve prosperity, justice and equity for all Iraqi people.

 Mr.Leif Villadsen added that the Memorandum also aims to help Iraq comply with its commitments to the UN Convention against Corruption with the participation of the national parties and the civil societies. He emphasized the great role of the CoI to accomplish this national task through outstanding cooperation with various international partners to fight the plague of corruption, which is threatening the aspiration of people and impeding stability and prosperity.

  In a short speech preceded signing the Memorandum, judge Alaa, the CoI Commissioner overviewed the huge strides Iraq is maintaining in combating corruption and in tightening the multi international efforts together to encounter this transnational crime as its effects deeply rooted due to lacking of the global systems that can face it. Mr. Alaa added that, though we still in the first half of it, this year has witnessed important events in Iraq in the direction of fighting corruption. The first was the fruitful talks the CoI had with the Transparency International in Berlin, in which Iraq suggested TI would have an office in Baghdad, so that CPI would be more precise, as it will get information about corruption in Iraq for direct sources on ground. The second prominent event was Baghdad International Forum held on 8th last April which was greatly succeeded in manifesting the real level of corruption in Iraq as well as the tireless efforts to combat it and the third event, the judge added, is signing the Memorandum of Understanding with the UN.

Judge Alaa, CoI Commissioner stressed the will of Iraq to fully cooperate with the international parties by means of the mutual cooperation as established by the UN Convention against Corruption, which was ratified by Iraq in 2007 to enhancing the mechanisms of cooperation just like the Memorandum of Understanding that financed by the US Anti money laundering office.

 The Commissioner expressed the regret of Iraq that a government in the Arab countries, he did not name it, impeded the process of extraditing one of most corrupt ex minister in Iraq who embezzled large amount of money when he was in office. The minister as was actually, the judge added, arrested by that government of that state but was released later in spite of effort exerted by Iraq to extradite him according to provisions of UNCAC and according to the laws as Iraq had a bilateral agreement of extraditing criminals with that country.

Mrs. Barbara Putts, the coordinator of US Embassy for Anti Money Laundering Office, expressed her pleasure for signing this Memorandum as she considered it as additional step toward strengthening the efforts of fighting corruption in Iraq. It is a great step, she added, in direction of accomplishing the UNCAC requirements.

acqueline Badcock, the Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq , described signing the Memorandum as one aspect of the partnership between Iraq and UN to foster fronts of fighting corruption , which now threatening the poor people, impeding development, democracy , equity, justice and prosperity. The Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq declared that UN opened a permanent representative office for UNODC in Iraq. By opening of this office, UN now has 20 different functional structures in Iraq working on implementing developmental programs in this country.