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In the Name of God,
The Most Compassionate, The Most Merciful
It is a pleasure to welcome you in Doha, at the outset of the
6th Global Forum for Fighting Corruption and Safeguarding Integrity.
Undoubtedly, the high level participation in this forum reflects the world states'
interest in the topics on its agenda, and the importance of the role undertaken by
the previous global forums at the national and international levels in fighting
corruption.
These forums have achieved a lot since the first global forum held in Washington in 1999
despite the numerous challenges which should be met. Undoubtedly, these forums
reflect the importance of international cooperation to repulse such a dangerous
phenomenon, the scope of which has extended worldwide, and is affecting the rich,
poor, developed and underdeveloped nations.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The topics on the agenda for discussion during the Forum, deal with many important
issues related to fighting corruption, for example, the separation of powers,
independence of judiciary, enhancing culture of integrity and safeguarding it as
well as partnership between the public and private sectors in building institutions
for fighting corruption.
No doubt this agenda reveals the various aspects and ramification of the problem,
since the corruption phenomenon has several dimensions, namely: social, economic,
moral, educational, cultural, religious and political. Thus fighting corruption is
not confined to one dimension, but it is rather an integrated mechanism which should
cover all those elements and find appropriate solutions to all of them. Otherwise our
efforts will remain insufficient to deal effectively with this phenomenon.
Once the political, social and economic systems of the states fail to provide the
minimal level of political rights, social welfare and adequate standard of decent
living to their citizens, then any talk about fighting corruption would remain a
sort of luxury which would fall on deaf ears.
This is a vicious circle, since corruption in itself hinders development as it
impairs criteria upon which institutions are based, and substitutes nepotism for
integrity and efficiency, replaces public interest upon which public projects are
based with vested interests that lead to adopting decisions harming the public
interest.
Honorable Audience,
The growing risk of corruption at the international and local levels prompted the
United Nations to establish the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in 2003
to coordinate the international efforts related to fighting corruption and
consolidate related national systems.
We in Qatar have adopted several important steps to respond to the international
endeavors in this respect by being forthcoming in endorsing the UN Convention
against Corruption (UNCAC), and adopting lots of steps to put such a convention
into practice.
Foremost among these steps were the establishment of the national committee for
integrity and transparency (NCIT) for which we were keen to provide with all
potentials, enabling it to assume its mission with complete objectivity and
independence.
The State of Qatar has been credited with an advanced position among nations in
terms of fighting corruption as per the 2007 and 2008 rating of the Transparency
International (TI) and has occupied the first position at the Arab level.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
My speech cannot tackle the subject on your agenda in details, since the different
aspects of corruption would be a theme for your consideration and deliberations
during this forum, and the forums to follow. Rather I want to focus on a single
issue I deem very important, that is the religious, cultural and moral dimensions
of the corruption problem.
Unless we act for building the open-minded, enlightened and productive individual
who is armed with religious and moral values, and cognizant of the duties of
citizenship and its rights, our efforts would remain short of realizing its
cherished target. Unless we act to make the citizen and the official aware of
the meaning of the sense of duty and respectful to the public good and the public
interest standards of the job, the anti-corruption process would remain a mere
criminal operation linked to the ability of the judiciary and the prosecution to
arrest the culprits
Among the key factors that made Qatar occupies such an advanced position as per the
Transparency International rating are the nature of the Qatari society and its
adherence to the moral values and principles of Islam that insists on the sanctity
of the public funds and the non-exploitation of public job for personal interests,
and who is keen on the individual social reputation and encouragement for integrity
and keeping clear of suspicion in addition to the role of the educational institutions
in upbringing the coming generations to adhere to these norms and values.
Honorable Audience,
While we appreciate your valued effort, which you have been exerting in this field,
we are confident that the results and recommendations that you would reach during
this forum would be an important addition in our joint pursuit to find suitable
solutions for this scourge, which has become a stumbling bloc on the path of human
progress and movement to provide a decent life for the peoples of the world at large.
In conclusion of my speech, I wish success to your deliberations and conference, and I wish a good stay to you in Qatar.
May Peace and Mercy of Allah be upon you all.
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Honorable Audience,
