Baghdad - INA
Experts and specialists in oversight and legal affairs praised Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi's directive to form the Supreme Sovereign Council for Integrity, Oversight, and Public Funds Recovery, which he will chair. They emphasized that this step represents a significant shift in strengthening the oversight system, combating corruption, and protecting public funds.
In this regard, Member of Parliament Wafaa Al-Tai affirmed that the formation of the Supreme Sovereign Council for Integrity and Public Funds Recovery represents an important step towards unifying oversight and legal efforts under one umbrella, thus avoiding the fragmentation of procedures and overlapping jurisdictions among institutions concerned with combating corruption.
Al-Ta'i told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that "the council could form an operations room linking the judiciary, the Integrity Commission, and the Federal Board of Supreme Audit, as well as investigative and security bodies, thus contributing to expediting the uncovering and resolution of corruption cases and preventing the diffusion of responsibility among institutions." She noted that "the cases the council is expected to address include financial waste in stalled contracts and projects, major administrative and financial corruption networks, smuggling and money laundering operations, encroachment on public funds and state properties, as well as cases related to border crossings, revenue collection and taxes, and the extradition of wanted individuals and funds smuggled out of Iraq."
She clarified that "the council should not be a replacement for the Integrity Commission, the judiciary, or the Federal Board of Supreme Audit, but rather a higher coordinating body that provides unified political and oversight momentum to these institutions." She pointed out that "the similarity lies in the shared goal of combating corruption and protecting public funds, while the difference lies in the council possessing a higher level of coordination, decision-making, and follow-up on major cases that require political will and direct oversight among the relevant authorities." She explained that "the true success of the council is measured by its ability to move to the stage of actually recovering funds and holding corrupt individuals accountable, regardless of their positions or affiliations," emphasizing that "citizens are waiting for tangible results that will restore confidence in the state and its institutions."
She pointed out that "the Prime Minister's early move towards combating corruption reflects a clear understanding of the seriousness of this issue for the stability of the state and the restoration of citizens' trust in institutions, especially since corruption has become a challenge that affects the economy, services, and the prestige of the state."
Al-Ta'i stressed "the importance of continuing this strategy by supporting oversight and judicial institutions and providing a working environment free from political pressure," indicating that "citizens are waiting for practical measures that translate into real and effective accountability."
She affirmed that "the fight against corruption requires a unified political will and genuine national support, far removed from narrow interests," noting that "the success of the Supreme Sovereign Council for Integrity and the recovery of public funds depends on having a supportive political umbrella for the work of oversight and judicial institutions, removing protection from corrupt individuals, and refraining from interfering in the work of the competent authorities." Al-Ta'i explained that "everyone today bears a national responsibility, because fighting corruption and recovering public funds does not represent a victory for any particular political entity, but rather a victory for the prestige of the state and the rights of the people."
Judge Rahim al-Akeeli affirmed that the announcement of the formation of the Supreme Sovereign Council for Integrity, Oversight, and Public Funds Recovery is an early indication of Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi's interest in the fight against corruption. He noted that the current circumstances offer the council a real opportunity to achieve tangible results. Speaking to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), he said, "The announcement of the formation of the Supreme Sovereign Council for Integrity, Oversight, and Public Funds Recovery is an early indication of Prime Minister al-Zaidi's interest in the fight against corruption, especially given the economic and financial challenges and difficulties facing Iraq."
He added that "forming a sovereign council concerned with combating corruption at this stage enhances its chances of success due to the immediate necessities of addressing this issue." He explained that "the political and international support that al-Zaidi's government has received, along with the complex circumstances under which it was formed, create important and influential factors that provide the council with good opportunities to accomplish what previous similar councils failed to achieve." He pointed out that "work in the field of combating corruption requires serious cooperation among all relevant parties, especially the judiciary and other relevant bodies." The oversight bodies, foremost among them the Financial Control Bureau and the Integrity Commission."
Al-Akeeli explained that "the success of the Prime Minister's initiative in this matter requires a serious political will, supported by an effective judicial and oversight body, which will contribute to strengthening integrity and oversight efforts, recovering public funds, and achieving the government's aspirations in combating corruption."
For his part, legal expert Abbas Al-Aqabi affirmed that the formation of the Supreme Sovereign Council for Integrity and Public Funds Recovery represents a positive step that aligns with the government program presented by the Prime Minister, particularly its third pillar, which pertains to maximizing resources, enhancing transparency and integrity, and moving forward in the fight against corruption. Al-Aqabi told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "There are existing oversight institutions that perform similar roles, most notably the Federal Board of Supreme Audit and the Integrity Commission, as they deal with various files related to public funds and oversight of government performance."
He added that "some files are characterized by their sensitivity and great complexity, especially the contracts file, particularly large contracts with high sums, which have witnessed, in many cases, the squandering of public funds, necessitating more specialized auditing and monitoring mechanisms." He clarified that "it is important not to overburden the Integrity Commission." The Financial Control Bureau has technical details on all files,” he explained, adding that “the existence of a specialized council to handle initial audits and follow-up can contribute to sorting files and identifying shortcomings or suspicions.”
He pointed out that “in the event that indicators or suspicions of corruption are discovered, the files are referred to the Integrity Commission and the competent judicial authorities to conduct the necessary investigations, take legal action, and recover public funds,” stressing that “this step represents support for the government’s efforts aimed at combating corruption and strengthening oversight of public funds, and is consistent with the objectives included in the government program in the areas of transparency and resource protection.”
Furthermore, economist Abdul Rahman Al-Mashhadani affirmed that the formation of the Supreme Sovereign Council for Integrity and Public Funds Recovery could constitute an important step in the fight against corruption, provided that it enjoys broad powers and a genuine ability to hold people accountable and follow up on major cases, free from political quotas.
Al-Mashhadani told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): “Prime Minister Ali Falih Al-Zubaidi’s move towards forming specialized councils, including the Coordinating Council for Fiscal and Monetary Policy and the Supreme Sovereign Council for Integrity and Public Funds Recovery, comes within the framework of searching for more effective tools to address complex issues.” He pointed out that "the laws and oversight institutions already exist, such as the Federal Board of Supreme Audit and the Integrity Commission, but the fundamental problem lies in their implementation and enforcement mechanisms."
He added that "the effectiveness of oversight institutions depends on their independence, immunity, and ability to prosecute corrupt individuals and recover public funds," explaining that "the success of the new council is linked to its possession of real authority to pursue corruption cases, refer those involved to the judiciary, and implement procedures for recovering funds."
He clarified that "many corruption files still require a comprehensive review, including files related to tax deposits, investment contracts, stalled projects, and government contracts, as well as files related to the education, industry, services, and health insurance sectors," emphasizing that "these files require rigorous auditing and oversight to reduce financial waste and protect public funds."
He indicated that "engaging reputable international auditing and consulting firms can contribute to strengthening anti-corruption efforts and tracking and recovering funds, given their international expertise and tools."
He noted that "the multiplicity of oversight bodies and the overlapping jurisdictions among the relevant institutions" are contributing factors. Financial and administrative oversight is one of the reasons for the weak results achieved in the fight against corruption,” he said, calling for “unifying efforts and developing legal legislation to keep pace with modern changes and emerging patterns of economic and financial crimes.”
Al-Mashhadani stressed “the importance of conducting comprehensive reforms in the oversight, judicial, and investigative systems to ensure enhanced accountability and combat impunity,” noting that “the current stage requires decisive measures to confront corruption, which has directly impacted the economy, services, and public projects.”
He affirmed that “the success of the Supreme Sovereign Council for Integrity and Public Funds Recovery will be measured by its ability to access major corruption cases, hold those involved accountable regardless of their positions, recover public funds, and protect state resources, thereby strengthening citizens’ trust in state institutions and achieving reform.”
Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaidi had directed the formation of the Supreme Sovereign Council for Integrity, Oversight, and Public Funds Recovery, chaired by himself and including the head of the Federal Board of Supreme Audit and the head of the Integrity Commission, to conduct oversight of ministries, non-ministerial entities, and governorates on fundamental and impactful issues, with the aim of halting corruption. Waste of public funds and recovery of state funds, provided that the results of the council's work are sent to the judiciary.