Iraq anti-corruption body seeks deeper UK cooperation on asset recovery

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Federal Integrity Commission has called for expanded international cooperation with the United Kingdom to recover public funds smuggled abroad and to strengthen judicial assistance in corruption cases. Commission head Mohammed Ali al-Lami raised the proposal during a meeting in Baghdad with the UK's ambassador to Iraq, Irfan Sadiq. Both sides discussed the cross-border nature of corruption and the need for effective legal coordination between states, according to a statement from the commission. Al-Lami stressed that countries party to the United Nations Convention against Corruption must uphold their obligations on asset recovery. The talks also covered promoting a culture of transparency, strengthening good governance through digital transformation and building the capacity of audit institutions. Ambassador Sadiq said the UK was ready to work with Iraqi state bodies, particularly its audit and anti-corruption units, on these efforts. No further details on specific cases or timelines were immediately disclosed.