London: Saudi Arabia and the UN Development Programme have launched a new global anti-corruption drive that will be funded by the Kingdom through 2027.
Nazaha, Saudi Arabia’s Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority, signed the joint initiative with UNDP at the 10th state conference session of the UN Convention Against Corruption in Atlanta, being held from Dec. 11-15.
Through the Kingdom’s financial support and oversight, the scheme will “strengthen efforts to foster international cooperation to fight corruption and enable countries to track and monitor progress on tackling corruption,” a joint press release said.
Evidence-based indicators will be developed using a multi-stakeholder approach, allowing countries worldwide to monitor the progress of their anti-corruption efforts.
The scheme will also allow stakeholders to identify beneficial policy reforms and address UN Sustainable Development Goal 16 of reducing corruption and illicit financial flows.
The Global Initiative on the Measurement of Corruption will involve “practitioners and policymakers from the public sector, civil society organizations, academia and the private sector,” the press release added.
Earlier this year, a progress report on SDG 16 found data gaps in the measurement of the effectiveness of anti-corruption policies worldwide.
The Nazaha-UNDP scheme aims to address these gaps by developing new indicators through an “inclusive, open and consultative process.”
Nazaha President Mazin bin Ibrahim Al-Kahmous said: “By developing robust and comprehensive indicators … the initiative aims to measure the extent of corruption and evaluate the effectiveness of anti-corruption efforts.
“These indicators will enable nations to accurately assess the level of corruption within their territories and provide guidance for them to combat it accordingly.”
Nazaha’s support will help UNDP foster stability and advance development “in this era of poly-crisis,” said Achim Steiner, the UN agency’s administrator.
“Our dedication is centered on directing every dollar towards impactful development initiatives, reinforcing UNDP’s reputation as a trusted partner.
“As part of the UN family, UNDP is working to support anti-corruption efforts at global, regional, and country levels.
“With our partners from the UN and beyond, UNDP is advancing the spirit and letter of the UNCAC, including by driving new efforts to measure corruption.”
