Consultative meeting on combating corruption [Archives:2005/879/Business & Economy]
Mahyoub Al-Kamaly
Participants in a consultative meeting recently held in Sana'a on Yemen's efforts for fighting corruption and means of engaging civil society organization in it, have confirmed the importance of forming a national non-governmental committee composed of personalities entertaining uprightness and efficiency. The committee is to be composed of representatives of civil society organizations in order to watch and follow up the application and implementation of the national strategy on combating corruption.
The meting, organized by the presidency office in cooperation with the central apparatus for audition and accounting and he German organization GTZ, has stressed the importance of dissemination of the culture of accountability, transparency and enhancement of the role played by the central apparatus for audition and accounting in a manner empowering it carrying out its tasks according to the law in fighting corruption and development of relations of coordination and integration with relevant parties concerned with protection of the public property as well as linking it to an order guaranteeing integrity of information.
The participants also have indicated the importance of expanding the circle of dialogue between the government and the NGOs to determine the priorities and aspired for goals and to draft them within a frame of common programs on combating all forms and types of corruption. They have recommended the significance of activation of the role of NGOs for following up measures taken by the government on fighting corruption and offering suggestions and perceptions aimed at activating those measures as well as promoting the role of the media and educational institutions in the field of enlightenment on the negative phenomena related to corruption and damage ensued on political, social and economic sides. They stressed the necessity of establishing a legal system for fighting corruption, mainly the completion of a draft law on financial responsibilities and a draft law on affirming the easy flow of information in addition to dependence of the principle of transparency and reformation of shortages in some legislations pertaining to financial and administrative issues.
Chairman of the central apparatus of audition and accounting Dr. Abdullah al-Sanafi considered the process of fighting corruption as a common responsibility requiring, in addition to integrity of the state institutions, interaction of the NGOs, pointing to the procedures taken by Yemen in its efforts for elimination of corruption and drying up its origins. According to him, the main of such measures are the formation of the higher commission on considering issues of state property and preparation of a group of integrated tasks and effective arrangements for the protection of public property and combating corruption.
On his part, the deputy of the German ambassador to Sana'a deemed the meeting as a forward step in the direction of cooperation and between Yemen and Germany in this field and preservation of public property. He has singled out that the importance of the meeting lies in participation of NGOs as they are an essential partner in fighting corruption and one of the pillars of popular participation and that would stimulate the society to stand up to the phenomenon of corruption. He has also lauded the Yemeni government's efforts in fighting corruption which is one of the most serious impediments of development in any society.
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