Anti-Corruption meeting wraps up [Archives:2007/1050/Local News]
SANA'A, May 13) Yemeni and Arab parliamentarians concluded Thursday a two-day meeting on corruption and ways of eradicating it. 200 participants from civil society organizations and parliamentarians from Yemen, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Morocco, and Alegeria participated in the meeting, which was organized by Yemeni Parliamentarians Against Corruption (YPAC), a local NGO.
Prime Minister Ali Mujawwar decided to attend the meeting, but he was absent. It is worth mentioning that the government's participation in the meeting was absent too.
Vice-president of Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC) Nasser Al-Sanei' awarded Sakhr Al-Wajeeh, president of YPAC, for his organization's efforts and keenness in combating corruption.
Al-Sanei' said corruption is a fierce, huge creature, and it is important to know its danger and size so as to get ready to fight against it.
“We condemn every politician in the Arab world who speaks of corruption but has no clear strategy to hold the corrupt accountable,” Al-Sanei' said.
“We don't like the slogan of “corruption' to be used during elections, and we don't want famous corrupt to join the organization,” he added.
The meeting was held following the announcement of Anti-Corruption Authority (ACA) late March this year. The Shoura Council has approved 30 candidates for the ACA, but still the Parliament has postponed electing the Anti-corruption Authority in order to verify nominees' credentials and complete the legal procedures required for nomination.
YPAC was officially established in December 2005 as a member of GOPAC and Arab Region Parliamentarians Against Corruption (ARPAC). It aims at developing transparency and good governance in the country as well as enhancing the role of law, audit, and control.
The organization also seeks to develop the capabilities of parliamentarians on supervising the activities of the government. Also, it encourages the Parliament and its members to enact legislations and implement them for the sake of good governance. Furthermore, it raises public awareness on corruption and its danger and it enhances ways of tacking this issue.
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