Sessions held as part of International Anti-Corruption Conference

KUWAIT: The Public Anti-Corruption Authority's (Nazaha) official spokesperson and Secretary General for Corruption Investigation Mohammed Bozabr told Kuwait Times that an international anti-corruption conference in Kuwait focuses on the correlation between the 'New Kuwait' vision 2035 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030 to define Kuwait's efforts in promoting integrity, providing a global platform to support these efforts and stimulating international dialogue on corruption risks and ways to address them in order to contribute to the achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

The conference, titled 'Integrity for Development,' is being held under the auspices of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah at the Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Centre. Bozabr said the session on the first day discussed the new generation of national anti-corruption strategies, successful corruption prevention practices in the public sector and the importance of integrity for competitiveness and the business environment.

"On the second day, the first session discussed 'Transparency and its Role in Enhancing Citizens' Trust in State Institutions' moderated by Sheikh Salem Abdulaziz Al-Sabah, former governor of the Kuwait Central Bank, along with speakers from Lebanon, France and the United States. The 'Current State of the Indicators on Integrity and Corruption and the Way Forward' session will shed light on the importance of indicators in measuring the performance of countries and their role in promoting integrity and transparency. Experts are here to expand the role of these indicators, measurements and follow-up to reach the best and appropriate arrangement for the country," Bozabr noted.

Bozabr added that the last session discussed 'Safeguarding the Sustainable Development Goals against Corruption Risks,' which confirmed the importance of supporting the sustainable development of Kuwait and how development is the main goal to achieve the 2035 vision of Kuwait. He revealed that the end of the conference will have a declaration to highlight Kuwait's efforts in promoting transparency, integrity and competitiveness in state institutions. Kuwait is aiming to promote a strategy in the future in several conferences to raise awareness on the risks of corruption and means to address them, as well as promoting the role of society and civil society organizations in combating corruption.

By Faten Omar