Zeydi Calls for International Firms to Strengthen Iraq’s Audit System

Prime Minister Ali Zeydi sharply criticized the Financial Audit Authority at Monday’s Council of Ministers meeting, saying major gaps remain in oversight and that government spending is not being tracked adequately. He said the current system is not sufficient to protect public funds. Zeydi also criticized the destruction of official documents after five years and said some state-owned companies have gone without financial audit for years. He stressed that audits must be completed within the set deadline after the end of the fiscal year and that serious violations should be referred to the judiciary. He called for the establishment of a central committee within the Ministry of Finance to review high-cost contracts. He also urged the introduction of a pre-audit and post-audit system for projects and expenditures. Zeydi said the government aims to improve the authority’s working methods by benefiting from international audit firms. He said the broader goal is to strengthen reforms designed to protect the Public Fund.