According to the statement, Hanoun stressed, during his meeting with the French ambassador at the authority’s headquarters, “the importance of legal assistance between countries in the field of combating corruption and recovering smuggled assets, which comes in line with the contents of Chapter Four of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, including assistance in the field of prevention, investigation and prosecution.” offenders, transfer of judgments of persons and criminal procedures and law enforcement cooperation.”
Hanoun explained, “The commission needs to benefit from the French experience in preventing and combating corruption and recovering the revenues derived from it,” pointing to “the importance of concluding bilateral cooperation agreements and memorandums that include development, training and transfer of expertise, as well as the extradition of suspects and smuggled funds.”
He noted “the work of the oversight bodies in Iraq and the pledge of forthcoming measures against corruption, spoilers and transgressors of public funds,” calling on French companies to “go to work and invest in Iraq after it is an arena and a safe climate for investors, especially after the availability of an appropriate atmosphere to combat corruption with sincere intentions before.” The new government and the judiciary, which represents one of the points of attraction for investment, which is hindered by security and political tensions, in addition to the spread of corruption and the possibility of obstruction and extortion of investing companies.
For his part, the French ambassador expressed “his country’s readiness to cooperate with Iraq in the field of combating corruption,” praising “the development in the work of the Iraqi oversight bodies and the achievements they have made at this stage.”
He pointed out, “the need to follow certain mechanisms and procedures; in order to cooperate with Iraq to recover smuggled assets, especially funds of the former regime,” noting that “the French legislator approved a law in the year 2021 related to funds of “unknown ownership,” and that one of his requirements is the issuance of a decision to that effect by the Judicial Council. The Iraqi Supreme Court to complete the requirements stipulated in this law, and then address the French judiciary, which will lead to fulfilling Iraq’s desire regarding its money during the era of the former regime.