Hotline to combat corruption launched in northern Iraq
Officials during the event held in Erbil to launch anti-corruption hotline. Photo: UNDP
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) officially launched a special hotline to receive complaints about corruption and wrongdoings committed by national and state institutions and officials, according to a press statement issued by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
It is being led by Kurdistan’s Commission of Integrity, an independent government body responsible for fighting corruption, the statement mentioned.
The hotline was launched in an event in Erbil last Thursday ahead of International Anti-Corruption Day, commemorated on December 9 every year.
The hotline encourages individuals to report corruption incidents anonymously by calling the toll-free number 1015, and complaints will be recorded, assessed and depending on their nature either investigated, referred to other agencies or archived, the statement explained.
The Commission of Integrity will further report annually to the Parliament and the public on the hotline’s performance, the statement elaborated.
The hotline was established with support from UNDP and the European Union.
The support includes developing the reporting and complaint tracking system, training designated staff and public communications about the hotline, the statement clarified.
This partnership between the Kurdistan’s Commission of Integrity and UNDP strengthens legislative and strategic anti-corruption frameworks, and improves its investigative capacity in line with international principles and standards, the statement added.