Sharm el-sheikh: An evening plenary session held Monday, as part of the 11th session of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (COSP11), discussed the policies and experiences of a number of countries around the world in combating corruption, focusing on the common challenges facing international efforts in this area.
According to Qatar News Agency, during the session, chaired by HE President of the Administrative Control and Transparency Authority (ACTA) and President of COSP11 Hamad bin Nasser Al Misnad, the ministers and representatives of the countries agreed that corruption has become a transnational phenomenon, fueled by complex financial networks and opaque legal environments, which necessitates broader international cooperation, more effective institutional responses, and oversight systems capable of adapting to the evolving methods of financial crimes.
The participants emphasized that corruption threatens the rule of law and undermines trust in public institutions, which calls for strengthening transparency, establishing a culture of integrity, developing national reforms aimed at improving the performance of justice systems, and expanding community participation in monitoring public affairs.
They also stressed the importance of updating legislation and removing obstacles to accountability, and developing coordination mechanisms between anti-corruption bodies to improve the efficiency of investigations and track financial crimes. Emphasis was placed on the role of public beneficial ownership records in revealing the true structures of economic entities and reducing opportunities for their misuse for illicit purposes. The importance of regional initiatives aimed at exchanging knowledge, building capacities, and measuring anti-corruption efforts more systematically was also noted.
The participants' remarks highlighted the importance of enhancing compliance in the public and private sectors through continuous review of policies and regulatory systems, and activating legal tools for asset recovery and confiscation of funds derived from illicit practices. They also addressed the need to adopt more advanced technological solutions to track illegal financial flows and enhance the effectiveness of investigations, noting that the use of digital means has become a necessity to confront the rapid development of corruption methods.
The speakers affirmed that the social and economic effects of corruption affect basic services and threaten development opportunities, which necessitates stricter control over public spending, increased transparency in government contracts, ensuring the integrity of campaign financing, and protecting the democratic process from any illegitimate influence.
During the session, calls emerged for strengthening judicial independence, protecting whistleblowers and witnesses, intensifying training and capacity building for law enforcement agencies, and supporting mechanisms for information exchange between countries in accordance with the provisions of the UN Convention. The session concluded by emphasizing that combating corruption is a long process requiring sustained political commitment, continuous development of oversight tools and mechanisms, and international cooperation capable of addressing the growing challenges in this area.
This evening session is part of a series of discussions aimed at assessing progress in implementing the United Nations Convention against Corruption and strengthening cooperation between States Parties. The work will continue tomorrow with new sessions in which another group of countries will review their experiences and challenges, in the context of a collective effort to build more honest and transparent systems that contribute to protecting public resources and consolidating trust in institutions.