Baghdad, 23 September 2025 - In collaboration with the Arab Anti-Corruption and Integrity Network, the Federal Commission of Integrity of the Republic of Iraq organized a symposium titled “Integrated Efforts to Promote Integrity”, where it brought together more than forty civil society organizations, alongside representatives from the private sector, the Higher Youth Council, and trade unions.

The symposium is part of the Commission’s efforts to advance integrity and anti-corruption in the country through a participatory and inclusive approach that builds bridges of cooperation among the various components of the state and society. It also coincides with the development of Iraq’s new National Integrity and Anti-Corruption Strategy 2025–2030.

In the opening, Mr. Ayman Salman, Director General of the Department of Cooperation with Non-Government Actors within the commission, emphasized the importance of forging partnerships with all stakeholders in driving national efforts, in line with Iraq’s committments under the United Nations Convention against Corruption. The Commission also emphasized aligning anti-corruption efforts with national development priorities, particularly private sector development, youth empowerement and engagement, and the active engagement of civil society. This strategic orientation builds upon the recommendations of the regional workshop which ACINET organized in partnership with UNDP Regional Bureau for Arab states with the support of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), that was held in Amman on 26-28 May 2025 titled "Harnessing the Power of Data to Promote the Anti-Corruption and Development Nexus".

A dedicated session introduced ACINET, during which Mr. Anouar Ben Khalifa, Senior Anti-Corruption Expert with the network, presented its key milestones and lessons learned from cumulative efforts. He highlighted ACINET’s role in providing a platform for dialogue between governmental and non-governmental actors, building specialized capacities, thereby enabling its members to contribute effectively to national integrity and anti-corruption efforts.

The symposium also included three thematic sessions. The first focused on private sector development, with the Iraqi Federation of Chambers of Commerce highlighting the importance of strengthening partnerships and outlining, from their perspective, the linkages between anti-corruption, enhanced transparency, and an enabling investment climate. The second session addressed youth empowerement and engagement, where the Higher Youth Council emphasized the role youth can play in implementing initiatives, while stressing the need to build their capacities for meaningful contribution. The third session focused on civil society, where the Al-Nahrain Foundation for Transparency and Integrity highlighted the role of civil society organizations in advancing social accountability through monitoring the performance of anti-corruption commissions, and in contributing to the formulation of relevant public policies, through institutionalized mechanisms of consultation and constructive dialogue with diverse stakeholders.