SAUDI ARABIA-ANTI-CORRUPTION Saudi conference aims to tackle corruption in kingdom

Record ID: 189622

  • Title: SAUDI ARABIA-ANTI-CORRUPTION Saudi conference aims to tackle corruption in kingdom
  • Date: 15th March 2015
  • Summary: RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (MARCH 15, 2015) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** AUDIENCE LISTENING TO SPEAKERS AT CONFERENCE VARIOUS OF ATTENDEES LISTENING AND WATCHING PARTICIPANT ASKING QUESTION PANEL MEMBER SPEAKING TO AUDIENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PRINCE OF RIYADH, PRINCE FAISAL BIN BANDAR, SAYING: "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia took the initiative to develop regulations against corruption to protect integrity, including the adoption of a national strategy for the establishment of a specialised and independent body (to fight corruption). And we are supporting the intensive efforts of all boards, agencies and government offices. We hope that our country will become a model for integrity in line with the ethics of Islam." BANNER SHOWING KING SALMAN'S PICTURE, WITH WORDS (Arabic): "INTERNATIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION CONFERENCE" SPEAKERS ON PANEL TALKING VARIOUS OF ATTENDEES INTEGRITY VICE PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD BANK, LEONARD MCCARTHY (SOUNDBITE) (English) INTEGRITY VICE PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD BANK, LEONARD MCCARTHY, SAYING: "Stopping corruption will see countries rise. Stopping corruption will protect the border of states. And stopping corruption will make the world more secure." ATTENDEES LEAVING REPORTERS ASKING PRESIDENT OF THE ANTI CORRUPTION COMMISSION, KHALID AL MEHAISEN, QUESTIONS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PRESIDENT OF THE ANTI CORRUPTION COMMISSION, KHALID AL MEHAISEN, SAYING: "The conference is part of Saudi Arabia's efforts to highlight its role in the fight against corruption, and also to benefit from the experiences that are taking place elsewhere in the world." BANNER WITH WORDS (Arabic and English): 'NAZAHA - NATIONAL ANTI CORRUPTION COMMISSION'
  • Embargoed: 30th March 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVANZKH9AUDJADTT7J4O68VZD9O
  • Story Text: A two day anti-corruption conference opened in Riyadh on Sunday (March 15), less than a week after King Salman pledged to fight corrupt practices in the kingdom.
    The conference was hosted by national anti-corruption commission 'Nazaha' under the title 'Fighting Corruption Is Everyone's Responsibility'.
    The Prince of Riyadh, Prince Faisal Bin Bandar, opened the event by detailing some of the steps his country had taken to deal with the issue.
    "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia took the initiative to develop regulations against corruption to protect integrity, including the adoption of a national strategy for the establishment of a specialised and independent body (to fight corruption). And we are supporting the intensive efforts of all boards, agencies and government offices. We hope that our country will become a model for integrity in line with the ethics of Islam," he said.
    Last week, in his first big speech since taking power on January 23, King Salman said he had directed the government to review its processes to help eradicate corruption, a source of dissatisfaction among many Saudis.
    Attending Sunday's conference was Leonard McCarthy, the World Bank's Integrity Vice President who has a mandate to investigate cases of fraud and corruption.
    He met earlier with with the Council for Saudi Chambers of Commerce to discuss anti-corruption policies and he told the conference that eradicating corruption could bring great benefits.
    "Stopping corruption will see countries rise. Stopping corruption will protect the border of states. And stopping corruption will make the world more secure," he said.
    The Nazaha agency is tasked with reducing corruption in the kingdom, tackling bribery, misuse of authority, money laundering and embezzlement.
    The organisation's president, Khalid al-Mehaisen, said the conference was an opportunity for Saudi Arabia to learn from what other countries were doing on the issue.
    "The conference is part of Saudi Arabia's efforts to highlight its role in the fight against corruption, and also to benefit from the experiences that are taking place elsewhere in the world," he said.
    Global anti-corruption campaigners Transparency International rank Saudi Arabia as 55th in the world in their 2014 corruption perceptions index, which ranks countries based on how corrupt their public sector is perceived to be.
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