Will Iraq’s new anti-corruption campaign succeed?
New Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani started his government by announcing an anti-corruption program. Many great challenges, however, remain in his way.
Iraq’s new Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani was keen in his first speech to brandish the slogan of combating corruption, limiting its spread, and holding corrupt persons and those involved accountable.
In the speech, delivered before the Iraqi parliament, Sudani said, “The pandemic of corruption that has affected all aspects of life is more deadly than the coronavirus.”
“[Corruption] was behind the many economic problems, weakening the prestige of the state and increasing poverty, unemployment and poor services,” he added, stressing that his government’s anti-corruption program “includes resolute, multifaceted, and multi-level policies and procedures to combat rampant corruption.”
Sudani was quick in taking swift measures against corruption. He dismissed the head of the Baghdad Investment Committee today and handed his file over to the Integrity Committee to investigate the alleged corruption.
