Governments and international organizations around the world are developing mechanisms to diagnose and identify corruption, with the aim of developing appropriate methods and programmes to combat or prevent corruption in the different sectors of the country. In line with these aims, Transparency International has developed a model to measure the state’s ability to fight corruption by assessing its national integrity system, and its adoption as a practical tool to assess the anti-corruption system by identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the state in both legal and practical ways in order to put in place appropriate solutions to strengthen the country’s system against corruption.
This research paper aims to develop a practical roadmap for assessing the national integrity system in Iraq by the Iraqi government itself by introducing a national integrity system model and identifying the components of the model and the methodology used in its assessment, and to develop a practical general framework to assess the ability of the anti-corruption system in Iraq to confront or reduce corruption.
First: A general definition of the national integrity system
A model for assessing the capacity of the state system to tackle corruption – an assessment of the anti-corruption system – developed by Transparency International in 2001, with a view to assessing the capacity of key governance institutions, public sector bodies and non-state actors in the country of performing their roles in combating corruption and promoting good governance at the legal level (regulatory laws) and on the practical level (the actual institutional practices), and identifying their strengths and weaknesses. An assessment of the national integrity system is an important measurement tool representing an integrated approach for the diagnosis of corruption. It also expresses a comprehensive operational vision to combat corruption, providing a comprehensive assessment system for all issues and areas related to governance, including:
– Institutional framework (government organs and departments);
– Legal framework (legislation that protects citizens against abuse of power and prevents the spread of corruption);
– Public policies (strategies and development plans which take into account the interests of citizens of all classes);
– Media, civil society, and the private/business sector.
The national integrity system broadens the horizontal accountability base so that authority is not monopolised in any one hand, and so that everyone who holds public office becomes personally responsible and accountable for his work. In effect, each party within the system acts as both observer and watchdog. It is a system that transitions from vertical accountability existing under oppressive regimes ruled by a dictator or by a single party to a horizontal accountability system based on a multiplicity of oversight and accountability institutions that prevent the abuse of power.
This research paper aims to develop a practical roadmap for assessing the national integrity system in Iraq by the Iraqi government itself by introducing a national integrity system model and identifying the components of the model and the methodology used in its assessment, and to develop a practical general framework to assess the ability of the anti-corruption system in Iraq to confront or reduce corruption.
First: A general definition of the national integrity system
A model for assessing the capacity of the state system to tackle corruption – an assessment of the anti-corruption system – developed by Transparency International in 2001, with a view to assessing the capacity of key governance institutions, public sector bodies and non-state actors in the country of performing their roles in combating corruption and promoting good governance at the legal level (regulatory laws) and on the practical level (the actual institutional practices), and identifying their strengths and weaknesses. An assessment of the national integrity system is an important measurement tool representing an integrated approach for the diagnosis of corruption. It also expresses a comprehensive operational vision to combat corruption, providing a comprehensive assessment system for all issues and areas related to governance, including:
– Institutional framework (government organs and departments);
– Legal framework (legislation that protects citizens against abuse of power and prevents the spread of corruption);
– Public policies (strategies and development plans which take into account the interests of citizens of all classes);
– Media, civil society, and the private/business sector.
The national integrity system broadens the horizontal accountability base so that authority is not monopolised in any one hand, and so that everyone who holds public office becomes personally responsible and accountable for his work. In effect, each party within the system acts as both observer and watchdog. It is a system that transitions from vertical accountability existing under oppressive regimes ruled by a dictator or by a single party to a horizontal accountability system based on a multiplicity of oversight and accountability institutions that prevent the abuse of power.
