Kuwait’s Anti-Corruption Authority Joins ACINET

Kuwait - Wednesday, January 1, 2014

The Arab Anti-corruption and Integrity Network (ACINET) announced that the Kuwaiti Anti-Corruption Authority joined the Network in December 2013. This comes approximately a year after the authority was established, making Kuwait the latest Arab country to join 16 others in ACINET’s membership. The Authority was established by Prime Minister decree number 24 of 2012. It is currently chaired by H.E Abdulrahman Saleh Al-Namash and supervised by the Minister of Justice. According to its Decree, the Authority aims to consecrate the principles of transparency and integrity in economic and administrative procedures, implement the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), safeguard state entities from bribery, strengthen cooperation with other countries and international organizations and activate the role of civil society organizations in anti-corruption efforts. Its main tasks include the establishment of a national anti-corruption strategy, dealing with complaints, receiving asset disclosures, reviewing anti-corruption laws, raising awareness on anti-corruption and protecting whistleblowers. With 44 ministries and authorities from 17 Arab countries, ACINET is considered to be the leading regional mechanism specialized in supporting Arab countries to act against corruption in accordance with their national priorities and based on related international and regional standards. Currently chaired by H.E the Minister of Justice of Lebanon Mr. Chakib Cortbaoui, the Network works to develop the capacities of its members and promote regional cooperation and information sharing on the topic. In this context, it is expected that cooperation between ACINET and Kuwait’s Anti-Corruption Authority will increase in the future as Kuwait makes further steps towards building an effective national integrity system and complying with the UNCAC.