Iraqi President Introduces Law to Fight Corruption

Iraq's President Barham Salih attends a forum in Baghdad, Iraq February 4, 2019. REUTERS/Wissm al-Okili
Iraq's President Barham Salih attends a forum in Baghdad, Iraq February 4, 2019. REUTERS/Wissm al-Okili
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Iraqi President Introduces Law to Fight Corruption

Iraq's President Barham Salih attends a forum in Baghdad, Iraq February 4, 2019. REUTERS/Wissm al-Okili
Iraq's President Barham Salih attends a forum in Baghdad, Iraq February 4, 2019. REUTERS/Wissm al-Okili

Iraqi President Barham Salih has proposed a draft law to combat corruption and recover an estimated $150 billion smuggled abroad since 2003.

Salih presented the draft law to parliament to recover the stolen funds and hold perpetrators to account.

“It will provide the necessary tools to the country’s legal system and relevant institutions to proactively combat the theft of people’s wealth,” said Salih.

“Since corruption extends beyond Iraq’s borders, combating it cannot be limited to domestic efforts,” Salih explained, pointing out that the bill “seeks to recover these funds by concluding agreements with countries, bolstering cooperation with specialized relevant international organizations and bodies and benefiting from successful global experiences to curb this phenomenon.”

The president called on the United Nations to form an international coalition to fight corruption similar to that formed to fight ISIS.

“Terrorism can only be eradicated by drying up its sources of financing that rely on corruption money,” he stated.

For his part, MP of Muqtada al-Sadr’s political alliance Sairoon, Burhan al-Maamouri, told Asharq Al-Awsat that introducing the draft law is a major step to end corruption.

If passed and properly applied, it will enable the country to put an end to money smuggling in Iraq, he added.

“The current challenge represents a historic responsibility and a national duty for the relevant authorities,” he said, adding that the political and economic crises and the implications of security, health, and other issues require action.

“Corrupt individuals should be severely punished and the smuggled funds must be recovered,” he stressed.

According to MP Hussein Arab, the parliament will study the bill, being the most important in the field of addressing corruption.

The parliament should give priority to this draft law since it is the only means to recover the looted funds, most of which are seized in foreign banks, Arab told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Media Professor at the Iraqi University Dr. Fadel al-Badrani, for his part, considered the bill one of the most significant steps that come in line with the comprehensive reform process in the country.

“It ensures recovering state funds that have been smuggled by the corrupt figures and administrations over the past 18 years.”

Legal expert Faisal Rikan told Asharq Al-Awsat that the draft law should include an article that requires relevant authorities to conclude bilateral agreements with all world countries that have financial and commercial transactions with Iraq.

These agreements should ensure these countries do not accept receiving any money by Iraqis before the approval of relevant Iraqi authorities, he stressed.



US Private Security Contractors to Oversee 2nd Phase of Ceasefire in Gaza

People walk next to a sign congratulating US President Donald Trump on his victory in the presidential election in central Jerusalem. (AFP)
People walk next to a sign congratulating US President Donald Trump on his victory in the presidential election in central Jerusalem. (AFP)
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US Private Security Contractors to Oversee 2nd Phase of Ceasefire in Gaza

People walk next to a sign congratulating US President Donald Trump on his victory in the presidential election in central Jerusalem. (AFP)
People walk next to a sign congratulating US President Donald Trump on his victory in the presidential election in central Jerusalem. (AFP)

The administration of US President Donald Trump has hired private US security contractors to inspect Palestinian vehicles that move from southern to northern Gaza and to ensure no rockets or other heavy weapons are being transferred past the Netzarim Corridor.

Two officials familiar with the matter told The New York Times that one of the firms assigned to the corridor is Safe Reach Solutions, which conducts logistics and planning. The company will oversee operational management of the crossings.

The second company is UG Solutions — a US private security company that operates armed guards around the world. Some of the guards are Americans who served in US military special forces, a source familiar with the issue said.

A third Egyptian security company, which has been approved by the Egyptian intelligence service, will also deploy security guards to Gaza.

The US companies will operate in Gaza as part of a multinational consortium that has been established under the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal and negotiated to solve a key sticking point around the movement of displaced Palestinians back to northern Gaza.

Hamas had refused that Israel handle the inspection operation.

The New York Times said under the deal, the private contractors are set to begin checking Gazan vehicles heading north as soon as Saturday, when Hamas is set to release four additional hostages.

According to officials, the companies will remain two to six weeks in the Gaza Strip. It is not yet clear who will fund the contractors’ deployment.

Israel hopes that the private security contractors will eventually form the nucleus of a larger international force that will run Gaza in the future, two of the officials told The Times.

Witkoff visits region

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff will visit Saudi Arabia next week and will then head to Israel.

Witkoff’s trip to Israel is expected to focus on negotiating the second phase of the hostage release and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, the first stage of which took effect on Sunday, several sources said.

“I’m actually going to be going over to Israel. I’m going to be part of an inspection team at the Netzarim Corridor, and also at the Philadelphi Corridor,” Witkoff said Wednesday in an interview with Fox News.

“That’s where you have outside overseers, sort of making sure that people are safe and people who are entering are not armed and no one has bad motivations,” Witkoff added.

The first stage of the ceasefire is meant to last six weeks. By day 16 - Feb. 4 - Israel and Hamas are due to start negotiating the second phase of the ceasefire, whose stated aim is to end the war.

A third phase is expected to start Gaza's reconstruction, overseen by Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations.

Gaza rule

President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming national security adviser said on Friday that the US has assured Israel that if Hamas runs afoul of a Gaza ceasefire deal, “we will be with them.”

Michael Waltz told CNN that the Trump administration will support Israel as it is “going to do what it has to do” to ensure Hamas never rules the Palestinian territory again.

On Thursday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held his first call with Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar, a day after his call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The State Department's statement following the call was similar to the statement issued following Rubio and Netanyahu’s call. The US diplomat stressed the need to continue the flow of aid into Gaza.

He also commended the foreign minister on Israel’s successes against Hamas and Hezbollah and the ongoing efforts to implement the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.

Rubio then conveyed the mutual understanding that the pursuit of peace in the region requires addressing the threats posed by Iran.