The latest corruption news from Iraq – company or government bribes, theft, stealing – brought to you by Iraq Business News
By Hafsa Halawa for The Middle East Institute. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The story from Iraq since last October has been mainly one of uplifting hope, as mass protests sweep across the country in a fight against corruption, nepotism, […]
By Shelly Kittleson for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Iraq's Falcon Intelligence Cell wants to root out corruption "Terrorism generates corruption and corruption generates terrorism," stressed Abu Ali al-Basri in his soft-spoken but acutely focused voice. Basri leads Iraq's elite […]
By John Lee. Deceptive shipping practices are reportedly being used in an attempt to conceal cargoes of sanctioned Iranian fuel oil being shipped via the Iraqi port of Khor al-Zubair. Writing in Lloyds List, Michelle Wiese Bockmann gives details of a network of shell companies running 'dark' tankers to transport the sanctioned fuel. Click here […]
From Middle East Monitor, under a Creative Commons licence. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Iraq's official anti-corruption agency stated in its latest annual report that it restored 2.84 trillion Iraqi dinars ($2.38 billion) to the Treasury in 2019. The Federal […]
By John Lee. An article for Port Strategy has questioned whether Iraq’s huge Al Faw port project is it really necessary, or is just a 'rice bowl' for a select few enabled by dysfunctional government? "It appears to be a text book case study in a government and civil society short on technical and commercial […]
By Dr Amer K. Hirmis. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Public sector investment in Iraq - What strategic priorities for the new Prime Minister? Iraq is still in turmoil, four months since the Uprising, in October 2019. Meanwhile, Prime Minister (PM) […]
By John Lee. Transparency International has said that Iraq's ranking has risen slightly in its global Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). From a total of 180 countries, Iraq came in at number 162; last year's position was 168 out of 180 countries. This result puts it on equal ranking with Chad and Cambodia. Libya was ranked […]
By John Lee. The trial has begun in London of three British businessmen accused of conspiring to pay bribes totalling $6m (£4.6m) to win contracts in Iraq worth $800 million. According to the UK's Serious Fraud Office (SFO), Monaco-based Unaoil bribed Iraqi officials to help Dutch-based SBM Offshore [Single Buoy Moorings], and Singapore's Leighton Offshore, […]
By John Lee. Court filings in the United States have reportedly shed new light on corruption in Iraq. Louis Auge, of EU Reporter, writes that two members of Iraq’s Communications and Media Commission (CMC) recieved houses in London in return for their role in the expropriation of over $800 million from French telecom firm Orange […]
By John Lee. Iraq's Commission of Integrity has revealed that it has concluded cases resulting in fines of more than 245 billion dinars ($206 million) on private banks, due to violations relating to customs licences and foreign currency auction instructions for 2012. The CoI mentioned that one of these corruption cases related to a private […]
The following is attributable to US State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus: Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke [on Tuesday] with Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abd al-Mahdi. Secretary Pompeo emphasized that peaceful public demonstrations are a fundamental element of all democracies. The Secretary deplored the death toll among the protesters as a result of the […]
Two brothers have pleaded guilty in the US to facilitating the payment of millions of dollars in bribes to officials in nine countries, including Iraq. Cyrus Ahsani, 51, and Saman Ahsani, 46, both of United Kingdom (UK), ran the Monaco-based oil and gas consultancy Unaoil. They are due to be sentenced on 20th April, 2020. […]
