15 March، 2026
In a Ramadan evening session, Al-Rafidain Center for Dialogue (RCD) hosted Mr. Hassan al-Okaili, Head of the General Authority for Customs. The dialogue, held at the Center's Sérgio Vieira de Mello Hall in Najaf, was titled "The General Authority for Customs: Between National Responsibilities and the Rampancy of Corruption." Moderated by media personality Safaa al-Sultani, the event featured a distinguished academic, social, and media presence, where Mr. al-Okaili discussed numerous aspects of the Authority's work, its specializations, roles, and the challenges it faces, as well as mechanisms for developing its systems and staff.

Mr. al-Okaili pointed out that the work of the General Authority for Customs is defined by three primary roles: first, restricting goods in accordance with the General Customs Law; second, collecting duties; and third, combating smuggling operations. He then addressed the challenges confronting the Authority, most notably a shortage of professional staff and suspicions of corruption surrounding some personnel. He proposed establishing training and development courses to keep pace with modern customs work, and also touched upon issues of overlapping responsibilities with other institutions, among other problems.

According to Mr. al-Okaili, developing the Authority's work can be achieved through a number of key steps. The most prominent of these are:

·        Amending the 1984 Customs Law and simplifying procedures.

·        Implementing a comprehensive automation project.

·        Intensifying efforts to combat corruption.

·        Activating the ASYCUDA electronic system, which is implemented in 108 countries worldwide, in cooperation with the United Nations.

The session also covered other important topics, including the problems of customs exemptions, the entrenchment of official and unofficial corruption, and the quality control of goods and commodities entering the country.

This seminar is part of the annual Ramadan evenings hosted by Al-Rafidain Center for Dialogue (RCD), aligning with its scientific and research activities and its mission to discuss the most significant political, economic, social, and cultural issues concerning the Iraqi state.