LOC15:39
12:39 GMT
DOHA, Dec 15 (KUNA) -- Qatar opened on Monday the 11th session of the Conference of the States Parties (COSP11) to the United Nations Convention against Corruption with Kuwait's participation.
The five-day event, held under the theme "Shaping Tomorrow's Integrity" COSP11, will focus on addressing new and emerging threats in the fight against corruption and strengthening international cooperation to face today's complex criminal activities.
The newly elected president of the 11 session, Hamad Al-Misnad, said the conference brings countries together to renew collective commitment to combating corruption, promoting integrity and transparency, as well as expanding international cooperation in this vital field.
Al-Misnad said previous sessions delivered tangible outcomes, including recommendations on prevention, criminalization of corruption-related acts, asset recovery and mutual legal assistance.
He added that the global fight against corruption faces increasingly complex challenges driven by technological advances, digital spaces and cross-border financial tools, calling for updated priorities, modernized mechanisms and stronger institutional capacities.
UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock thanked Qatar for hosting the conference, saying preventing and eliminating corruption is a shared responsibility of peoples and governments, stressing on importance of using modern technologies to dismantle transnational corruption networks.
On his part, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said corruption fuels conflict, deepens inequality and drains resources needed to protect peoples and the planet, warning that emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) can accelerate corruption, as well as expose and prevent it if properly regulated.
Acting Executive Director at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), John Brandolino, expressed his appreciation for Qatar's longstanding partnership, noting that corruption provides the illicit infrastructure enabling criminal groups to operate with impunity worldwide.
He called for an integrated, coordinated approach across sectors and borders, urging states to fully utilize UNODC tools and initiatives during the conference to reaffirm a global vision for a new era of implementing the convention.
Kuwait is participating in the 11th session with a delegation from the Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha), headed by its Chairman Abdulaziz Al-Ibrahim.
The conference is the largest international gathering dedicated to combating corruption, bringing together all 192 states parties to the convention, along with more than 2,500 participants from governments, international and regional organizations. (end)
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