Kuwait’s ‘anti-corruption’ efforts embrace integrated work system
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KUWAIT CITY, April 23: According to the Vice President of the Kuwait Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) Nawaf Al-Mahmel, anticorruption efforts are not limited to a specific party, but they constitute an integrated work system in which roles are distributed among all parties. He explained that recent years have witnessed an increase in international and local efforts to combat and prevent corruption, through a package of preventive measures, by establishing administrative and legal controls that regulate procedures, direct behavior, spread awareness to communities, and continuously seek to improve the level of awareness about the aspects of corruption, its various forms, and its risks.
This is accompanied by consolidating and strengthening the ideas, values, and honest behaviors that limit it, the most prominent of which are the governance of administrative systems, improving the business environment and enhancing accountability, to achieve a business environment that embraces integrity and is characterized by professionalism, trust and excellence. It also includes supporting work values and guiding its ethics, which reflects positively on administrative and financial transactions, and consolidating the principles of respect and commitment to job duties and rights. In a speech he delivered Sunday, during the inauguration of the first “Adaa” conference, which was organized by Nazaha with the cooperation of the British Embassy in Kuwait, to activate the implementation of the codes of professional conduct launched by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) for state institutions.
The conference was held at the St. Regis Hotel in the presence of several representatives of the entities participating in the project. Al-Mahmel explained that the codes come within the framework of the vision of administrative reform in the public sector by the government work program, which includes enhancing the integrity and transparency of the performance of the public employee. The United Nations Convention against Corruption, which Kuwait signed in 2003, urges the need for states’ parties to strive to establish and disseminate codes or standards of conduct for the correct, honorable and proper performance of public functions. Al-Mahmel concluded by emphasizing that the Adaa project is aimed to activate the codes of job conduct circulated by CSC in coordination with the Global Partners for Governance Foundation (GPG) by creating a program that contributes to the optimal and effective application of the codes of job conduct, and by global standards and international best practices, which were implemented in coordination with several ambitious state institutions.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Head of Mission of the British Embassy Sunny Ahmed expressed her happiness at celebrating the launch of the “Adaa” program, which seeks to enhance the culture of transparency and integrity within the public sector in Kuwait. She affirmed that it is a positive sign of commitment to progress for a more transparent, efficient and accountable governance model, stressing that this initiative is not only limited to enhancing operational standards but it is also a call to ensure a future in which high levels of professionalism and ethical behavior are the norm. Ahmed said, “The principles of Adaa, which is based on professionalism, excellence, and integrity, are more than just guiding principles. They are fundamental to how the Kuwaiti public sector operates and is viewed both locally and internationally.” She highlighted the 125th anniversary of the official diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Kuwait, adding, “It is not only a celebration of our shared history, but also an indication of the two governments’ commitment to strengthening cooperation in key areas such standards, transparency and the overall quality of the Kuwaiti-British partnership.”
Ahmed also highlighted the investment of approximately 700 thousand pounds sterling for providing technical assistance to the Adaa program, which supports efforts aimed at combating corruption, to achieve the common vision of a brighter and more prosperous future. She praised the dedication of the five Kuwaiti government agencies that took the initiative to activate the Adaa program, stressing that each of them was awarded a bronze memento in appreciation of their efforts so far. Ahmed explained that it demonstrated an incentive for other entities in the government sector to achieve excellence in terms of the standards of professionalism, quality and integrity that they set for themselves. By conforming to the standards set by the Adaa system, government agencies can not only demonstrate their commitment to improving service delivery, but they can also reassure the public of their dedication to ethical behavior, and foster a more trustworthy relationship between the government and its citizens. This can be established through its public entities that embody the principles outlined in Nazaha’s Code of Ethical Conduct. Kuwait is not only working to strengthen its governance but also to raise its profile on the global stage. She concluded by inviting more government agencies to participate in Adaa, which not only meets the highest standards of professionalism and integrity but exceeds them to become a shining example for others around the world.
By Inass Awadh
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff
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