Yemen’s Anti-Corruption Fight: Are we winning? [Archives:2008/1147/Business & Economy]

By: Yemen Times Staff
The steps Yemen has taken in the fight against corruption were more than noticeable, acting as an indicator that the president and the Yemeni government are working together to take measures that aim at reducing corruption and limiting the influence of corrupt officials in government circles. Since 2004, Yemen has revised a large number of legislation to support the anti-corruption movement, with the help of international donors, Yemen was able to bring a revised procurement law into effect, forming a committee to combating corruption, undertaking several awareness and publicity campaigns against corruption, and restricting and empowering the Central Organization for Control and Audit. However, spectators still believe that there is along way to go for Yemen is corruption will be illuminated, starting with the political will to promote an independent judiciary system that will be able to prosecute high ranking officials involved in corruption, as well as recovering some of the government assets which were lost to corruption.

Steps to Combat Corruption

The step to combat corruption – in principle – aim at improving the performance of the administrative governance system and speeding up financial and administrative reforms in order to strengthen the integrity of the governance system and close the loopholes that will allow for corruption. Following that, several presidential directives synergized with a package of instructions regarding reducing government bureaucracy, improving efficiency, and remove obstacles that hinder some of the primary reforms needed in Yemen, such as civil service reforms, tenders and public procurement reforms, as well as other supplementary actions such as financial disclosure, and empowering the parliament to investigate into corruption cases and reject any government decrees that may involve corruption.

Opposition Stance

However, the Yemeni opposition state time and again that these reforms are only symbolic and are not being implemented in good faith, stating that the regime is doing these anti-corruption reforms simply for political gain and to increase the faith of the international community in the regime – hoping to be rewarded with more assistance, grants, and funds in turn for these reforms. The opposition maintains that top officials including the president should've taken the leads in reforms, and disclosed his net worth and the assets of his family members, emphasizing that top officials within the regime and surrounding the president are the one benefitting the most from corruption, therefore the opposition rules out that any high official close to Saleh will be prosecuted.

Regime's Stance

Official voices continue to downplay the opposition remarks and focus on the accomplishments so far, emphasizing that the financial disclosure law is enforce and includes civilian and military officials and members of the House of Representatives and the Shura, governors and ambassadors contains specific procedures regarding identification of their wealth and their children beginning of each year. Adding that the President is taking the lead in the anti-corruption movement through issuing special laws to govern bidding and public procurement to protect public money and maintain the property and assets of the State, and fighting corruption and promote integrity, transparency, accountability, control and identification procedures for bidding and auctions, stores and economic efficiency in the bidding, The bid, supervision and control over the work and bidding procedures and bid and stores. And to ensure safety to maintain public property and public interest, payment and encourage contractors, suppliers and consultants to develop their professional and economically.

The Way Forward

With the formation of the Anti-corruption committee, the donor community and other stakeholders are optimistic about the fight against corruption in Yemen, but looking forward to witnessing real progress and a strong plan of action to support the role of the committee by the government in the fight against corruption.
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