Anti-corruption agencies of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states have adopted the Makkah Agreement aimed at strengthening cooperation and preventing corruption crimes.
The law enforcement agencies have attended their first ministerial meeting, in Jeddah. Heads of international bodies also attended the two-day meeting, which was held under the patronage of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
President of the Kingdom’s Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority Mazin bin Ibrahim Al-Kahmous said that Saudi Arabia supported efforts to combat corruption at local and international levels, as it constituted a pillar of Vision 2030.
He said that the meeting was a confirmation of the OIC’s charter — which seeks to combat corruption, money laundering and organized crime — and embodied the strong relations between Islamic countries which helped signify a united front toward desired goals.
He added that the adoption of the Makkah Agreement by member states would establish a new phase of cooperation in the field of combating corruption to serve common interests.
For his part, OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha said that the Makkah Agreement provided the most significant and effective framework for preventing and combating corruption in member states through effective prevention, law enforcement, international cooperation, and asset recovery mechanisms.
Taha called on the OIC states to engage in the fight against corruption by signing and ratifying the Makkah Agreement in order to enforce anti-corruption laws “in accordance with their legal systems and in line with the aspirations and perspectives of member states in the fight against corruption.”
Furthermore, Taha thanked Saudi Arabia for its generous initiative in hosting the first ministerial meeting of law enforcement agencies concerned with combating corruption in member states under the umbrella of the OIC.
The Makkah Agreement looks to enhance cooperation between the enforcement authorities of anti-corruption laws in an efficient and speedy manner. It encourages joining the Riyadh Initiative, provides a legal framework for the exchange of information and investigations directly and quickly, and contributes to preventing corruption crimes and limiting safe havens for the corrupt.
