Arab states convene in Doha to strengthen anti-graft frameworks

Doha, Qatar - The sixth session of the Conference of States Parties to the Arab Anti-Corruption Convention kicked off in the Qatari capital, uniting Arab nations to bolster preventive measures, financial investigations, mutual legal assistance, and transparency in beneficial ownership.

Chairing the proceedings over three days was H E Hamad bin Nasser Al Misnad, head of Qatar's Administrative Control and Transparency Authority (ACTA). Opening remarks were delivered by Saeed Shehadeh, adviser to the President of the Palestinian Anti-Corruption Commission and former chair of the conference's fifth session, as well as Dr Maha Bakhit, supervisor of legal affairs at the Arab League and head of the general secretariat for the conference.

The opening session covered the provisional agenda for the sixth gathering, while the second session delved deeper into the conference's agenda items. Key topics include reviewing the mechanism for assessing the Convention's implementation, enhancing preventive measures, improving financial investigation techniques, accelerating mutual legal assistance proceedings, and boosting transparency in beneficial ownership.

Palestinian delegate Shehadeh praised Qatar for its warm hospitality and logistical support during Palestine's presidency of the fifth session. He also commended the country's technical assistance and hosting of various conference-related activities. Despite the challenges faced during its presidency, Shehadeh acknowledged, he expressed hope that the sixth session would further Arab cooperation in the fight against corruption.

Dr. Bakhit praised participants' efforts to strengthen joint Arab action against corruption and address regional challenges. She stressed the importance of advancing legal and legislative systems, stating that the meeting's work would bolster Arab cooperation and improve frameworks for preventing and combating corruption. The conference will review the implementation of regional meetings, workshops, and training courses from the fifth session, as well as preparations for a regional expert meeting on developing a unified Arab guide for parallel financial investigations into financial corruption.