Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia Al-Sudani has called on the European Union to support the government's anti-corruption efforts.
He also urged the global police agency Interpol to facilitate the extradition of wanted persons.
Al-Sudani met on Saturday with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in Munich and they discussed Iraq’s wish to hold partnerships with the EU countries in various fields.
Sudani pointed out that his meetings with the leaders of Germany, France, and Italy align with the endeavors for economic partnerships and bonds of cooperation to face economic challenges and the effects of climate change and to enhance stability and sustainable development, the Media Office of the Prime Minister said in a statement.
He also highlighted the agreement between the Iraqi Ministry of Finance and the European Investment Bank and the openness to the investments of European companies and their contribution to the public service sector in Iraq.
"Looking forward to advancing our EU-Iraq partnership. We will engage further in deepening our cooperation, including in support of your ambitious domestic reform agenda and on clean energy," von der Leyen said in a tweet.
Sudani also met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. They discussed the bilateral ties and ways to reinforce them.
The Iraqi PM reiterated that his government prioritizes economic reforms and focuses on advancing the energy sector and forming joint ventures for investment and growth in the gas industry.
Al-Sudani highlighted Iraq’s readiness to step up cooperation with the US in the fight against terrorism in the context of offering instruction, counsel, and information sharing to the Iraqi security forces while upholding Iraq’s independence and sovereignty.
Blinken applauded the Iraqi government’s ambitions for reform and growth as well as its efforts to prioritize the energy sector in its development initiatives.
He reiterated support for the Iraqi government’s progressive improvement and reform objectives across a range of levels and areas, as well as the US government’s gratitude for Iraq’s regional contribution to greater stability.
Moreover, Al-Sudani discussed with the Secretary-General of the International Criminal Police Organization, Interpol, Jurgen Stock, bolstering bilateral cooperation in the restoration of stolen public money.
Sudani stressed that the government's procedures require cooperation from the organization, especially in the issue of dealing with requests submitted regarding financial crimes.
The PM called on Interpol to provide support in the field of training and capacity building for the cadres working at the headquarters and the newly established Interpol offices at the border crossings, as well as cooperation in the field of information exchange, and in the field of supporting financial crime investigations related to money laundering and terrorist financing, and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
For his part, Stock expressed the organization’s willingness to cooperate with Iraq and work on restoring the looted funds and the persons wanted in corruption cases.
Furthermore, US Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowski said during the second Oil and Gas Show conference in Baghdad that American firms are willing to invest in Iraq and expand cooperation in the energy sector.
