Kurdistan Region leaders discuss national strategy to combat corruption

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The President of the Kurdistan Region on Saturday supervised a meeting with the reform related institutions in the country.

In a statement by the Kurdistan Region Presidency (KRP), President Masoud Barzani led a meeting on the reform process in Kurdistan calling for coordination between all related institutions to combat corruption.

The meeting was attended by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani, Deputy PM Qubad Talabani, Head of the Integrity Commission, Head of Public Prosecution, Acting Head of the Judiciary Council, and the Head of Financial Supervision.

In the meeting, President Barzani stated the public should be regularly informed about the stages of reform in the Kurdistan Region.

Moreover, PM Barzani stated in accordance to President Barzani’s previous proposals, the KRG had taken steps to make reforms in the Ministry of Finance and review oil revenues.

The PM also added “the reform process was ongoing.”

On Feb. 10, 2016, President Barzani announced several improvements within the KRG aiming to recover the government from its critical financial crisis.

The KRG Deputy PM briefed those in attendance about the steps already taken towards reform.

He also revealed the challenges and the KRG’s plans moving forward, the KRP statement said.

According to the statement, the Integrity Commission revealed they had prepared a “national strategy draft for combating corruption.”

The draft draws a road map to tackle exploitation in the Kurdistan Region for the next five years.

“The officials decided to hold a joint meeting between the KRG, the KRP representatives, and the reform-related institutions on Monday next week,” the KRP statement continued.

Practical measures will be discussed at the meeting and a road map for the reform process will be presented, the KRP statement concluded.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany