dijlahpoint - The Chairman of the Federal Integrity Commission, Mohammed Ali Al-Lami, discussed with the Secretary General of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), Lucas Vilela, on Monday (September 14, 2026), ways to enhance international cooperation in pursuing fugitives in corruption cases and preventing them from using other countries as safe havens to evade justice. According to a statement by the commission, the meeting was held on the sidelines of Al-Lami's participation within the government delegation accompanying the Prime Minister during his visit to France, where both sides discussed developing cooperation mechanisms, activating direct communication and coordination channels regarding fugitives, and accelerating the exchange of information necessary to track them down. Al-Lami affirmed that the cross-border nature of corruption crimes and their associated money laundering and fugitive movement between countries makes international cooperation a cornerstone in combating them, stressing the need to prevent the exploitation of borders or differences in legal systems to evade prosecution. He noted that the tightening of pursuit, investigation and inquiry procedures in Iraq has pushed some involved parties to attempt to leave the country and seek refuge beyond its borders, which requires a rapid international response and effective coordination with Interpol and counterpart agencies to locate fugitives and take legal action against them. The commission chief called for enhanced Interpol support for Iraq's efforts in fighting corruption, pursuing fugitives and recovering crime proceeds, affirming that confronting cross-border corruption requires an effective international partnership that prevents any safe haven for the corrupt. The meeting also addressed mechanisms to expedite the pursuit of fugitives and the exchange of information, evidence and documents, alongside activating contact points and direct coordination between both sides, as well as strengthening Iraqi staff capabilities through specialized training programs and expertise exchange in fugitive pursuit and asset recovery. Both sides agreed to continue coordination and develop communication channels and information and expertise exchange, in a manner that enhances the rapid response to fugitive files and supports Iraq's efforts to recover funds and assets derived from crimes.