Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi
Zaidi calls corruption campaign a first phase, vows more
BAGHDAD — Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said the government’s anti-corruption campaign was in its “first phase” and pledged to keep working to recover public funds, in remarks to the Council of Ministers’ eighth regular session on Sunday.
According to a statement from the prime minister’s office, Zaidi said the government would continue pursuing corruption while protecting public resources.
“The government’s recent anti-corruption campaign represents only the first phase,” Zaidi said, adding that it would continue its efforts “to combat corruption and recover public funds.”
He said the government was “entrusted with safeguarding the interests of the Iraqi people” and that “there will be no tolerance” in carrying out that responsibility.
Zaidi also directed oversight bodies to receive and review reports on the performance of government institutions and ministries to identify cases of corruption or negligence.
“The situation can no longer be ignored,” he said, adding that the government wanted to reassure citizens that “public funds are protected by capable guardians and will be managed responsibly.”
Zaidi said Iraq had endured decades of war, instability and the fight against terrorism, and that the government’s current approach focused on strengthening state authority, ensuring the state’s exclusive control over arms and the use of force, and preventing corruption within state institutions.
The remarks followed a sweeping operation earlier Sunday that Iraqi authorities said led to the arrest of dozens of current and former officials. State media said the arrests were based on confessions by detained Deputy Oil Minister Adnan al-Jumaili, and that the 15 names released so far were the first group in a wider investigation it said involved 47 detainees whose identities would be released later.
Jumaili, who served as deputy oil minister for extraction affairs, was detained earlier this month over alleged financial irregularities in the oil sector. Authorities have disclosed few details about the investigation beyond confirming he was in custody, but state media has repeatedly linked Sunday’s arrests to confessions made during his interrogation.