RIYADH — The first meeting of the steering committee of the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities (GlobE Network) kicked off in Riyadh Tuesday.

The event is organized by the UN Office, represented by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, between March 15 and 16, 2022, with the participation of several member states.

The Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) President Mazin Bin Ibrahim Al-Kahmous welcomed representatives of member states and relevant organizations.

He stressed that the leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is aware that corruption is the first enemy of development and prosperity and cannot be combated without a close international cooperation under the framework of the United Nations Convention against Corruption.

He added that establishing the Riyadh Initiative network “GlobE Network” has come at the right time, especially with the development in the patterns of corruption crimes and corrupted people’s use of weak cooperation and low levels of exchanging information among anti-corruption apparatuses around the world.

Al-Kahnous thanked the presidency of the network, represented by Spain, and the secretariat of the network, represented by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, for their intensified efforts over the last year in establishing the network that resulted in holding the first meeting of member states in last November.

It also saw the adoption of the convention of the network, expressing aspiration for the success of the steering committee meeting and for its outcomes to contribute to enhancing international anti-corruption cooperation.

Spain has been selected as chair of the Network and the Steering Committee, and Saudi Arabia vice-chair of the Network and Steering Committee.

According to the Charter of the Network, the Steering Committee is composed of the following members — US, China, Russia, Chile, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, North Macedonia, South Korea, Romania, Palestine, and Zimbabwe. — SPA