Address by Minister Hassan Abdel Shafi Ahmed, Chairman of the Administrative Control Authority,  at the Conference of States Parties to the Arab Anti-Corruption Convention held in Riyadh, March 23, 2022

As President of the ninth session of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (COSP9), H.E. Minister Hassan Abdel Shafi Ahmed delivered a recorded speech at the Conference of States Parties to the Arab Anti-Corruption Convention. 

The speech went as follows: 

In the beginning, I would like to congratulate His Excellency Mr. Mazen Al- Kahmous, Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority, on his election as President of the fourth session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Arab Anti-Corruption Convention.

Excellencies Heads and Representatives of the States Parties to the Arab Convention Anti-Corruption Convention,

I first thank the Saudi Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (NAZAHA) for hosting the fourth session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Arab Anti-Corruption Convention, as this session is being convened in the most sacred and honorable of places.

I also wish to thank the Legal Affairs Sector of the League of Arab States for the top-notch organization seen at the conference. As the President of the ninth session of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption, I look forward to working with all member states of the Arab Anti-Corruption Convention.

Esteemed attendees,

The fourth session of the conference comes amidst immense anti-corruption efforts, which reached a momentum, especially during this past year as the UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on corruption took place for the first time, whence a political resolution titled “Special session of the General Assembly against corruption” was adopted as a road map guiding anti-corruption efforts for years to come. 

I take this opportunity to announce that the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption decided to hold a session to follow up on the implementation of the resolution adopted in September 2022 at the headquarters of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Vienna.

Last year witnessed the ninth session of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption, held in Sharm el- Sheikh for the period between December 13-17, 2021, whereby 8 resolutions were adopted, including four resolutions submitted by the Arab countries, namely Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates, which reflects the keenness of the Arab countries to contribute to the efforts to combat corruption on the international level.

In the same vein, all the States Parties to the Arab Convention against Corruption, who are also signatories for the United Nations Convention against Corruption, are invested in tackling corruption on the regional level, as reflected in the launching of the Arab Anti-Corruption Convention against Corruption that is currently underway in its fourth edition.

Ladies and gentlemen, 

Five of the nine sessions of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption were hosted and presided over by Arab countries, starting with the first session in Jordan in 2006; the fourth session in Morocco in 2011; the sixth session in Qatar in 2015; the eighth session in the United Arab Emirates in 2019; and finally the ninth session in the Arab Republic of Egypt in 2021. 

Apart from Conferences, the Arab countries have always ensured the issuance of resolutions that shall underline the priorities of anti-corruption efforts, such as the Marrakech Declaration of 2011 on the Prevention of Corruption; the Abu Dhabi Declaration on enhancing collaboration between the supreme audit institutions and anti-corruption bodies to more effectively prevent and fight corruption; and the Sharm el- Sheikh Declaration- the first of its kind- focused on consolidating international cooperation in preventing and combating corruption in times of emergencies and crisis response and recovery; I am honored to remark that this declaration was adopted during my chairmanship of COSP9.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The efforts and contributions of the Arab countries in the field of preventing and combating corruption have not been limited to hosting and presiding over most of the sessions of the Conference of the States Parties and adopting draft resolutions that have had a significant impact in carrying out numerous measures and enhancing cooperation in the field of preventing and combating corruption. Rather, the Arab countries also launched relevant initiatives, namely the UAE’s programme to implement the Abu Dhabi Declaration aimed at leveraging synergies and cooperation between oversight bodies and anti-corruption agencies. This, along with the initiative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, launched during the ninth session of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption 2021 to establish the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities (GlobE Network), towards crafting a network of communication and coordination amongst law enforcement agencies.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The secretariat to the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption fully endorses the important regional role played by the Conference of the States Parties to the Arab Anti-Corruption Convention. Hence, the Saudi Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (NAZAHA), in light of its efforts to bolster collaboration among secretariats, held a workshop in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna to discuss the establishment of an Implementation Review Mechanism for the Arab Anti- Corruption Convention, which led to three draft resolutions to be reviewed during the fourth session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Arab Anti-Corruption Convention. This reflects the fruitful and constructive cooperation between the secretariats centered on combating corruption on both regional and international levels to secure decent life, justice, prosperity, and development for our peoples.

Esteemed attendees, 

I reiterate my appreciation for the regional and multilateral efforts of the Arab countries to further propel anti-corruption efforts forward, namely illicit financial flows, proceeds of crime, and money laundering. By the same token, I wish to express the great importance of asset recovery without precondition as a message of high priority in the fight against corruption and as a deterrent to those who are inclined to commit or engage in corrupt conduct. 

International cooperation on the regional and multilateral levels will remain an integral part of the efforts to effectuate our commitments in light of the Arab Anti-Corruption Convention and the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), due to the transnational nature of the crime of corruption. Therefore, we must give due priority to requests for legal assistance and to the time-sensitive process of confiscation, freezing, and return of assets. 

We call upon all the States Parties to the UNCAC to refrain from providing safe havens for any impediments or challenges to development goals, especially in developing countries.

In conclusion, I look forward, in my capacity as President of the Ninth Session of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption, to working towards fostering cooperation with the League of Arab States and the States Parties to the Convention to elicit the benefits of collective anti-corruption efforts. 

I also commend the efforts of the Legal Affairs Sector of the League of Arab States aimed at achieving the goals we all aspire to in curbing corruption to secure the prosperity of our peoples.

I hope that we will grant our societies all the hopes and aspirations that the future may bring to them. I wish you success during this Conference that shall provide resolutions we hope will live up to the responsibility we all shoulder. 

I conclude by the following verse: 

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

“O ye who believe! Persevere in patience an d constancy; vie in such perseverance; strengthen each other, and fear Allah; that ye may prosper”

Almighty God has spoken truly.

Peace be upon you