FCOI and UNDP discuss mechanisms for implementing UN agreement against Corruption

BAGHDAD-INA


The Commission of Integrity discussed Tuesday with the United Nations Development Programme in Iraq (UNDP) Mechanisms for implementing the UN agreement against Corruption and reviewing the implementation of its provisions by States parties.
 
A statement by the commission, received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), stated that "a workshop was held between (FCOI) and (UNDP), to introduce the methodology of the United Nations Convention against Corruption and its implementation mechanisms, and to discuss the mechanism for reviewing the implementation of the states parties' implementation of its provisions and articles, as part of the activities of the project of (supporting Justice Initiatives to Combat Corruption and Promote Trade Dispute Resolution) funded by the European Union Mission and implemented by (UNDP).

In his speech at the workshop, which was held at the Iraqi Anti-Corruption Academy, Judge Alaa Jawad Al-Saadi stressed the "importance of partnership in efforts to combat corruption and to prosecute violators of public money," noting that "the Commission's Law No. 30 of 2011 as amended included its contribution in Preventing and combating corruption and adopting transparency in the management of governance affairs at all levels, with the participation of other oversight bodies and under the control of the judiciary.

"The workshop included a lecture by UNDP international expert Hussein Hassan in which he addressed the introduction of the UNITED Nations Convention against Corruption and the interpretation of some of its articles, items, methodology, content and implementation mechanisms," he said.
 
"The Convention included a mechanism for resolving international disputes arising from its application, and stressed respect for the internal sovereignty of Member States, non-interference in their internal affairs and respect for their laws, as well as cooperation in law enforcement," he said.
"The Convention creates an environment that ends corruption, facilitates the detection of corruption and totalitarian crimes in addition to expanded criminalization, as well as tightening and diversifying sanctions, while giving great importance to international cooperation and asset recovery," he said.
 
For their part, The Commission's Vice President Mazher Turki Abd and the general managers made their remarks about the agreement, noting that "there is legislative weakness in some of its articles, and the failure of some states parties to respond to requests for legal aid and the recovery of smuggled assets".