Shafaq News/ Iraq and Kuwait pledged on Sunday to deepen cooperation in fighting corruption, with Baghdad vowing to protect Kuwaiti investors from extortion.

Iraqi Federal Integrity Commission chief, Judge Haider Hanoun, met with the Kuwaiti Ambassador to Iraq, Tareq Abdullah al-Faraj, to discuss bilateral collaboration between the two countries' anti-corruption bodies, including a potential memorandum of understanding.

Hanoun emphasized the importance of shielding foreign investors and creating a safe business environment in Iraq. He urged Kuwaiti investors to report any attempts of extortion, promising swift action.

Kuwait, for its part, affirmed its commitment to assisting Iraq in extraditing wanted individuals and recovering stolen funds. Ambassador al-Faraj said Kuwaiti authorities have started proceedings to revoke the citizenship of individuals accused of tax theft and sought by Iraqi authorities, and have frozen their assets.

Many countries are faced with the scourge of corruption, but few suffer from it more than Iraq. Ranked 157th out of 180 nations in a corruption list by Transparency International last year, Iraq faces the perverse reality that as it experiences growth in financial revenue – mostly thanks to its significant oil sector – there is more wealth for the unscrupulous to target.

In today's Iraq, elections are held, political plurality is encouraged and free expression officially guaranteed. But in practice, Iraqi politics remain chaotic and marred by sectarian and ethnic conflict.

Major anti-government protests erupted in late 2019, leading to yet more bloodshed in the streets. Turnout was low for legislative elections in October 2021, which sparked further infighting and violence before a government was eventually formed a year later.

A third of Iraq's population lives in poverty, public services are largely absent, and the energy-rich country suffers frequent blackouts, especially in the extreme summer heat.

Nepotism and corruption remain rife in Iraq, where coveted posts in a bloated state sector are often gained through personal connections while youth unemployment is rampant.