Head of the Saudi Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) Mazin Al-Kahmous said the establishment of the Global Network of Anti-corruption Law Enforcement Authorities (GlobE) was the beginning of a new phase for all countries in the fight against corruption.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres inaugurated on Thursday the global network, which was established at the initiative of Saudi Arabia under its presidency of the Group of Twenty (G20) in 2020.
Guterres expressed his appreciation to Saudi Arabia for its funding of the Riyadh Initiative, which is aimed at establishing the network, calling on all countries to benefit from the new body and exert more efforts to eradicate corruption.
“Corruption is not only immoral, but is a serious crime. It is often organized, and crosses borders. Most importantly, it betrays people and democracies. It steals trillions of dollars from people all over the world — usually from those most in need, as it siphons off resources for sustainable development,” he said in a video message on the launch of the GlobE Network.
He added: “Turning the tide against corruption is essential if we are to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, promote peace, and protect human rights. We must reinvigorate political commitment to fight this crime. We must also strengthen international cooperation to recover stolen assets and prevent those responsible for corruption from finding safe havens for themselves and their funds.”
Guterres stressed that the establishment of the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities was a step in the right direction.
“The Network will enable law enforcement authorities to navigate legal processes through informal cooperation across borders, helping to build trust and bring those guilty of corruption to justice,” he underlined, adding: “I thank the Government of Saudi Arabia for funding and launching the Riyadh Initiative to create the GlobE Network during their Group of 20 (G20) presidency last year, and I call on all Governments to make full use of the Network and encourage further efforts to eradicate corruption.”
For his part, Al-Kahmous affirmed that his country “understands that overcoming the challenges of cross-border corruption crimes requires close interaction between the relevant law enforcement authorities.”
He also praised the efforts of all countries and international organizations working with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in establishing the network.
He called on the international community to actively participate in the establishment of the network, provide the necessary support for the success of this initiative and follow up on its development, in a manner that serves the common interests of all countries.
