Doha, Qatar: The prevalence of corruption overtly undermines the underpinnings of building states and institutions resulting in grave consequences on the rule of law, economic advancement, and development. Consequently, this prevalence disrupts critical projects and brings foreign investments that develop the states to standstill instead of redeeming the poor vulnerable communities. It also puts heavy burdens and costs on states worth billions of US dollars to combat corruption.
The Amir H H Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award is a testament to the anti-corruption global efforts undertaken by Qatar, which is global initiative of Qatari origin with goals and dimensions. It consolidates good governance and transparency and extends the hand of justice in a successful war against corruption.
Since its adoption in 2016, the award has been constituting an international event to combat corruption and distributed in coordination with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to individuals and organizations that effectively combats the corruption in four major areas, achievement, innovation, research, and young people’s creativity. The award coincides with events that mark the International Anti-Corruption Day. For 21 years ago, the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) has set numerous items to halt the expansion of corruption to ensure that all states and major companies take the essential steps required to prevent corruption and bolster transparency, as well as solidify the institutions inspired by the sustainable development goals.
The states have started to incorporate these steps into their plans to keep up with the rapid evolution in rehabilitating the economy and adopting the new variations that urge transparency, fighting bribes, suspicious deals, and influence peddling.
The International Anti-Corruption Day is observed on Dec. 9 each year in recognition of the importance of good governance, accountability, and political commitment, as well as follow up on the affirmative changes made by the international efforts in addressing the underlying challenges chief amongst is corruption with its various adverse impacts entangled with conflicts and turmoil that pose threats to social and economic development.
The Corruption Perceptions Index classifies 180 countries through its levels that perceive the prevalence of corruption in the public sector. According to the report issued by Transparency International at the end of January 2023, more than two-thirds of the worlds countries grapple with corruption, with scores less than 50. The average of Arab countries on the 2022 index plummeted to 33 out of 100. Three Gulf states, including the State of Qatar, ranked first in the Arab world in combating corruption, according to the report. Transparency International report stresses that corruption levels are still at a standstill in most parts of the world, with 86% of countries making little or no progress in the past ten years. Transparency International found that countries that consistently violate civil liberties score lower on the corruption perceptions index, as laxity in the fight against corruption exacerbates human rights violations and undermines democracy, creating a vicious cycle.
According to the report, global average for the Corruption Perceptions Index remained unchanged at 43 for the tenth year in a row, and two-thirds of countries score below 50 on the anti-corruption index, led by Denmark, Finland, and New Zealand, which are among the top 10% countries in the civil liberties score on the democracy index. Anti-corruption efforts in the State of Qatar gained an ample interest at the national and international levels, with the establishment of the Administrative Control and Transparency Authority (ACTA) in 2021 to achieve surveillance, transparency, impartiality in public jobs, as well as combating all forms of corruption.
Qatar has also provided the essential support to Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Centre (ROLACC) in Doha that was inaugurated in 2013 and has been active and serious in combating corruption globally after it has joined UNCAC and dedicated an annual award that carries the name of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, which aims to increase awareness on the criticality of countering corruption and encouraging the enforcement of UNCAC’s resolute measures, as well as honoring anti-corruption exceptional projects and efforts. The chief purpose of the award to remain a tool that highlights the perfect measures and good practices at the global level, as well as assesses the anti-corruption models from all over the world to be further strengthened, compiled, and disseminated, in addition to increasing the awareness, support and solidarity to combat corruption.
