Iraq Prime Minister urges world to help in recovering country's stolen assets

On Wednesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi asked for international assistance in recovering stolen assets, claiming that billions of dollars had been taken and smuggled out of the war-ravaged country. Al-Kadhimi made his remarks during the International Conference for the Recovery of Stolen Funds, being held in Baghdad, with Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit in attendance, reported Xinhua news.

During the event, the Iraqi Prime Minister urged nations to assist Iraq in recovering its funds, stating that the country is fully open to collaborating with all countries in this regard. Al-Kadhimi stated that fighting corruption and recovering stolen and smuggled monies outside Iraq is a top priority for his government, noting that corruption laid the ground for the creation of the terrorist Islamic State (IS) in Iraq. 

Meanwhile, Aboul-Gheit described the meeting as a vital opportunity to combat corruption, emphasising that fighting corruption necessitates ongoing collaboration. Few Arab justice ministers, chiefs of Arab financial and legal authorities, and representatives of Arab groups and organisations involved in the fight against corruption attended the International Conference for the Recovery of Stolen Funds. In an arduous attempt to balance Iraq's relations with important stakeholders in the area, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi addressed various bilateral issues and explored methods to strengthen ties with Iran during his visit to Tehran on Sunday, 12, according to The Associated Press (AP). 

Iraq on course to improve its ties with neighbouring countries

It is worth mentioning that at a conference sponsored by Iraq last month, Arab heads of state and senior officials from the region, including archenemies Iran and Saudi Arabia, met for the first time. The conference attempted to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East and highlighted the Arab country's new role as a mediator. Emmanuel Macron, the French president, also attended the Baghdad meeting, describing it as a big boost for Iraq's government, reported AP. Notably, Iraq had been mostly neglected by Arab leaders for decades due to security concerns arising from back-to-back wars and domestic strife, with rebels often attacking its airport with rockets.

(With agency inputs)

Image: AP