Baghdad – INA
The National Center for International Judicial Cooperation signed a strategic working agreement on Tuesday with the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust).
In a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), the Supreme Judicial Council said that “the National Center for International Judicial Cooperation signed a strategic working agreement with Eurojust at the agency’s headquarters in The Hague, the Netherlands, during the period from 29 to 30 June 2026, in a step that strengthens Iraq’s position on the map of international judicial cooperation.”
The statement added that “the agreement was signed on behalf of the Supreme Judicial Council by Judge Ali Hussein Jafat, Head of the National Center for International Judicial Cooperation, and on the European side by Eurojust President Michael Schmid, in the presence of senior judicial and diplomatic officials.”
Judge Ali Hussein Jafat stated that “the signing of the agreement represents an important achievement in developing judicial cooperation relations between the Republic of Iraq and European Union member states.”
He noted that the agreement “reflects mutual trust and a shared commitment to combating terrorism, organized crime, and serious international crimes, upholding the principle that perpetrators must not escape justice, and developing mechanisms for joint cooperation, particularly regarding requests for the extradition of wanted individuals.”
For his part, Eurojust President Michael Schmid praised “the close partnership with the National Center,” emphasizing that “experience has proven that no country can successfully confront organized crime and international crimes alone. Therefore, the rapid exchange of information and judicial coordination between countries are essential factors in the success of investigations and prosecutions.”
He added that “with this step, Iraq becomes the tenth non-EU country to conclude a working agreement with the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation. This institutional achievement reflects the strategic vision of the President of the Supreme Judicial Council, Judge Faiq Zidan, to expand partnerships with global judicial institutions, enhance information exchange, support the pursuit and extradition of accused persons, and simplify legal cooperation mechanisms with international partners..”