US, Iraq Seek to Boost Oil Sector Transparency
Washington and Baghdad enter into an agreement to ensure greater transparency in the oil sector, reports Omar al-Shaher.
Amid intense criticism and corruption charges faced by the Iraqi Ministry of Oil on the part of many political parties, the US Embassy in Baghdad has signed an agreement with the Iraqi government in a bid to improve the ministry’s level of transparency.
“The United States Government, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Iraqi Ministry of Oil on March 17. This agreement outlines US support for the ministry to improve the effectiveness and transparency of its operations,” the embassy said.
The embassy also said the signing ceremony was attended by the ministry’s director general for development and training, Iqdam Mohamed Ridha, and USAID Mission Director Thomas Staal.
Ridha said that "the cooperation, which is exemplified by the signing of this agreement, will be very useful for the ministry." For his part, Staal said that "the signing of this agreement is part of the US commitment to help Iraq manage its resources more efficiently and serve the interests of its citizens.”
