Doha: The International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA) has nominated Qatar for the presidential position with the decision due to be made during the general assembly meeting in the Russian city of St Petersburg this October.
IAACA’s executive committee made the decision during its meeting yesterday at Rule of Law and Anti-corruption Centre in Doha under the chairmanship of Dr Ali bin Fetais Al Marri, Public Prosecutor and Member of the executive committee.
On the sidelines, he told reporters the nomination stresses the confidence of 146 member states in Qatar as an active player in anti-corruption issues.
He said Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is a genuine supporter of anti-corruption issues at domestic and international levels.
Dr Al Marri said the centre, announced last week in Senegal during a ministerial conference on strengthening the rule of law and fight against corruption in Africa, will be launched in Dakar and serve the continent.
The Dakar centre will cooperate with the Doha centre by exchanging expertise, funding and technical cooperation, he said.
He said African countries have abundant oil, gas, phosphate and other resources but corruption is the biggest obstacle to development.
On Qatar’s stance on the nomination, Dr Al Marri said Qatar is always ready to cooperate and will put its capacity under the service of the UN and world countries to fight corruption.
If elected to lead IAACA, he added, the organisation will move its headquarters from Beijing to Doha. Around 20 members were present in the meeting of the executive committee to which Qatar was elected member in 2008. QNA
