Saudi Arabia Participates In Inaugural Executive Committee Meeting Of IAACA To Strengthen Anti-Corruption Efforts

The Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) of Saudi Arabia took part in a virtual executive committee meeting of the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA). Mazin bin Ibrahim Al-Kahmous, President of Nazaha, represented the Kingdom and delivered a speech. He expressed appreciation to Danny Woo, IAACA President and Commissioner of Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), for organising the meeting and fostering international cooperation against corruption.

Al-Kahmous highlighted Saudi Arabia's commitment to strengthening global partnerships in fighting corruption. He noted that these efforts have led to significant achievements. The Kingdom values IAACA's role in promoting transparency and sharing knowledge and experiences. Al-Kahmous hopes Saudi Arabia's involvement will lead to new initiatives, such as regular general meetings in Hong Kong or alongside the United Nations Convention against Corruption events.

One proposal from Al-Kahmous was to create a mechanism for better expertise exchange among IAACA members, collaborating with the GlobE Network. This could involve joint workshops among association members. At the end of his speech, he invited all members to attend the High-Level International Conference on Measuring Corruption in New York from December 2 to 4, 2025. This conference builds on Nazaha's Global Initiative on Measuring Corruption launched in 2021.

This initiative is conducted with partners like the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA). It underscores the importance of measuring corruption effectively.

The IAACA is an independent body with over 180 anti-corruption authorities globally. It aims to combat corruption by implementing the United Nations Convention against Corruption and achieving Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, particularly reducing corruption and bribery. The association facilitates sharing best practices among anti-corruption bodies worldwide through conferences, seminars, workshops, and training programs.

IAACA is dedicated to enhancing relationships with international and regional organisations to unify efforts within the global anti-corruption community. By doing so, it seeks to advance collective actions against corruption across borders.

Al-Kahmous concluded by inviting members to participate in upcoming initiatives aimed at furthering these goals. His speech emphasised Saudi Arabia's dedication to international collaboration in combating corruption while recognising IAACA's vital role in this mission.

With inputs from SPA