KTFA:

Babylon… More than 16 thousand counterfeit dollars were seized and its holders were arrested

02/07/2022 22:10:53

The Babylon Police Command revealed today, Monday, the arrest of two people who were caught in possession of a counterfeit foreign currency of 100 US dollars, in a security control north of the city of Hilla.

In a statement received by Al-Furat News Agency, the Babylon Police said, “The detachments of the martyr Colonel Salam Shannoun, who were in control of the martyrs, were able, after thorough inspection procedures for the arrivals, north of the city of Hilla, to arrest two people who were arrested in their possession of 16,100 counterfeit US dollars of $100 bills.” 

And she added, “The accused were handed over with the seized items to the concerned authority to take the necessary measures against them in accordance with the legal contexts.”   LINK

Samson: The Economic Reform Committee completes its tasks and makes many recommendations

7th February, 2022

Monday, the Economic Reform Committee of the National Sovereignty Initiative completed its tasks and submitted its report to the Minister of Finance, while making several recommendations.

The committee stated in a statement received by Earth News Agency, “Under the chairmanship of Hassan Latif Al-Zubaidi, Executive Director of Al-Rafidain Center for Dialogue RCD, and the membership of a distinguished elite of Iraqi academic economists, the task of studying the form of reform for the economic sector in Iraq has been completed, and a practical plan has been developed to implement an integrated program that begins with legal legislation and runs Sober and radical measures aimed at extricating this sector from its deteriorating reality.”

The committee made “many recommendations, top of which is changing some articles of the constitution to determine the form of the relationship between oil and the Iraqi national economy, regulating the relationship with the region, restructuring some public institutions, activating and supporting the private sector, expanding the activity of private banks, fighting financial corruption, and other steps to be taken.” To overcome crises and evaluate the performance of the economic reality in Iraq.

While honoring the chairman and members of the committee, Finance Minister Ali Abdul-Amir Allawi referred to “the obstacles facing the economic sector, especially in the field of energy and oil,” praising at the same time “the efforts of the Bahr al-Uloom Forum and the National Sovereignty Initiative that adopted the composition of the committee, and in the presence of the initiative’s sponsor, Dr. Ibrahim Bahr al-Ulum.”   LINK

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Samson:  The Arab Monetary Fund, in cooperation with The World Trade Organization and The Islamic Development Bank, organizes a second high-level regional dialogue (remotely) on “Providing Support to Arab Countries that are in the process of joining The World Trade Organization”

8th February, 2022

Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates

The high-level regional dialogue on “Providing support to Arab countries in the process of joining the World Trade Organization” will open today, organized by the Arab Monetary Fund in coordination with the World Trade Organization and the Islamic Development Bank Group, during the period  7-9 February  2022 .

This second regional dialogue embodies the effective cooperation between these three institutions, and in response to the priorities set by their Excellencies the Arab Ministers of Trade to enhance the technical capabilities of the concerned parties in the Arab countries, with the aim of overcoming the challenges facing the Arab countries that are still in the process of joining the World Trade Organization and then it will benefit more from the gains associated with the liberalization of international trade in goods and services.

In an effort to join the World Trade Organization, the Arab countries during the past decades have faced a number of challenges, including those related to the legal framework supporting accession, and others related to the challenges of liberalizing some economic sectors, in addition to other challenges related to building the capacities of workers in ministries of trade and other relevant authorities in Arab countries. With regard to negotiation skills to complete the joining process and deal efficiently with the many technical files that this requires.

In this context, the Arab Monetary Fund seeks to assist Arab countries in facing these challenges through a successful partnership with the World Trade Organization and the Islamic Development Bank Group, where several specialized technical courses have been held aimed at developing capacities in Arab countries in related fields.

On this occasion, His Excellency the Director General and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arab Monetary Fund, Abdul Rahman bin Abdullah Al-Hamidi, pointed out the importance of supporting the efforts of the Arab countries that are in the process of joining by focusing on implementing a number of diverse activities that are in line with the priorities and needs of these countries, including capacity development and capacity building.

 And exchanging experiences and experiences through joint action. His Excellency also welcomed the important and emerging topics discussed by the dialogue and that are consistent with the priorities of the Arab countries.  LINK

Integrity and (UNDP) discuss mechanisms for the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption

8th February, 2022

Today, Tuesday, the Integrity Commission discussed with the United Nations Development Program in Iraq (UNDP) mechanisms for implementing the United Nations Convention against Corruption and reviewing the implementation of its provisions by states parties

A statement by the Commission, received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), stated that “a workshop was held between the Integrity Commission and the United Nations Development  Program (UNDP), to introduce the methodology of the United Nations Convention against Corruption and its implementation mechanisms, and to discuss the mechanism for reviewing the implementation of the states parties’ implementation of its provisions and articles, as part of the activities of the (Support) project. Justice Initiatives to Combat Corruption and Promote Trade Dispute Resolution) funded by the European Union Mission and implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP)

In his speech at the workshop, which was held at the Iraqi Anti-Corruption Academy, the head of the authority, Judge Alaa Jawad Al-Saadi, confirmed Iraq, and a group of experts in it, stressed the “importance of partnership in efforts to combat corruption and prosecute violators of public money,” noting that “the Commission’s Law No. 30 of 2011 as amended included its contribution to preventing and combating corruption and adopting transparency in the management of governance affairs at all levels. With the participation of other oversight bodies and under the umbrella of the judiciary

Al-Saadi praised, according to the statement, “the cooperation of the United Nations Development Program – Iraq office and the valuable consultations shown by the program in formulating the national strategy for integrity and anti-corruption, as well as other projects, including: the project (supporting justice initiatives to combat corruption and promoting the settlement of commercial disputes), which aims to identify the mechanism of assistance and advancement of the Iraqi legal framework for combating corruption, ways to improve the capabilities of anti-corruption institutions (investigation and prosecution), and support for Iraq in its good compliance with the requirements of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, to which it acceded in 2007

He added that “the workshop included a lecture by the international expert in the United Nations Development Program Hussein Hassan, in which he addressed the definition of the United Nations Convention against Corruption and the interpretation of some of its articles, clauses, methodology, content and implementation mechanisms. He stressed that “the agreement included a mechanism for settling international disputes arising from its application, and stressed respect for the internal sovereignty of member states, non-interference in their internal affairs and respect for their laws, in addition to cooperation in law enforcement

He added that it “provided a mechanism for reviewing the implementation of the Convention by States Parties,” noting that “the chapters (second, third, fourth and fifth) related to preventive measures, criminalization, law enforcement, international cooperation and asset recovery are the most important things to be reviewed

And he stated that “the mechanism of review and evaluation of the implementation of the States Parties is done through two countries reviewing the implementation of the Convention by another State, and the State submits to the review once during the review cycle, which lasts (5) years, stressing that “the reviewing country must identify (15) governmental experts who prepare a draft report of the State under review. He pointed out that “the agreement works to create an environment that repels corruption, and facilitates the detection of corruption and comprehensive crimes and the expansion of criminalization, in addition to tightening and diversifying penalties, while giving great importance to international cooperation and asset recovery

For their part, the Vice-President of the Authority, Mazhar Turki Abdul, and its general directors expressed their observations about the agreement, noting that “there is a legislative weakness in some of the terms of its articles, and the failure of some of the parties to it to respond to requests for legal assistance and the recovery of smuggled assets

The issue of criminalizing legal persons or not, the term “double criminality” referred to in the agreement and the difficulties facing Iraq in recovering assets and responding to requests for legal assistance was discussed, stressing that “the commission, after which Iraq represented in the agreement, sought to overcome the difficulties faced by efforts to recover those convicted in cases of corruption and smuggled assets.”

Noting Iraq’s compliance with the contents of the agreement, especially in the areas of preventive and legislative measures and drawing up a national strategy for integrity and anti-corruption  LINK

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Samson:  Iraqi aviation destroys a 140-meter-long cave, killing 7 terrorists inside

8th February, 2022

The Security Media Cell announced the destruction of a 140-meter-long cave and the killing of 7 terrorists inside it with an air strike.

And the cell stated in a statement, which received / Mawazine News / a copy of, that “field efforts are being made by the security units in monitoring and following up on terrorist leaders and their affiliated elements, as the Federal Intelligence and Investigation Agency in the Ministry of Interior – in cooperation with the targeting cell of the Joint Operations Command and with hard and hard work for the units, was able to West Nineveh Operations Command is following up on an important site for ISIS leaders south of Hatra, which is a 140-meter cave used as a command and control headquarters for ISIS terrorist gangs, within the boundaries separating the West Nineveh Operations Commands, Salah al-Din and al-Jazeera.

And she added, “The Iraqi F-16 planes were provided with confirmed information about this site, and the planes directed precise strikes and heavy equipment, which resulted in the destruction of the den this morning. And she indicated, “This operation is one of the qualitative pre-emptive operations, after this dangerous detachment was targeted in a strategic place that constitutes an important point in the implementation of terrorist operations.”

And she indicated, “The coordination of work and the exchange of information between the intelligence services had positive, high-level results to achieve very important goals in eliminating terrorist leaders and criminal elements that work with them.

 We will provide you with details later on the names and positions of this precious hunt, which came with distinguished and professional efforts by the Intelligence and Investigation Agency.” The Federal Ministry of Interior will work hard to establish security in this country.  LINK