Nizahah Presents New Project to OIC Member States' Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Agencies

The State of Kuwait, represented by the Public Authority for Combating Corruption (Nazaha), participated in the proceedings of the Third Ministerial Meeting of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Agencies of the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), held in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, with the participation of representatives of member states.

In a press statement, Kuwait’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Mohammed Al-Mutairi, emphasized Kuwait’s commitment to supporting international efforts aimed at combating corruption and promoting the principles of integrity and transparency. Ambassador Al-Mutairi stated that cooperation among OIC member states, along with the exchange of expertise and information and joint coordination, constitutes a fundamental pillar for developing the capacities of relevant anti-corruption law enforcement agencies.

He clarified that the meeting provides an opportunity to discuss ways to enhance institutional coordination and expand areas of cooperation among law enforcement agencies in member states, thereby supporting joint efforts to combat corruption crimes and mitigate their impacts.

At the closing session of the meeting in Baku, the State of Kuwait, represented by the Public Authority for Combating Corruption (Nazaha), presented a new draft resolution, which was adopted by the Third Ministerial Meeting of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Agencies of the OIC member states.

In a press release, Nazaha stated that the project concerns “identifying the beneficial owner of movable assets and commercial entities related to corruption crimes and enhancing transparency in this regard.” It added that the resolution aims to activate Article 5, Paragraph 6 of the Mecca Convention for Cooperation in the Field of Combating Corruption Law Enforcement, which includes identifying the beneficial owner among areas of close cooperation among law enforcement authorities of State Parties, based on the premise that concealing the identity of the beneficial owner is one of the primary means used by perpetrators of corruption crimes to hide illicit proceeds and evade justice.

The resolution urges member states to take necessary measures in accordance with their legal systems to enhance transparency regarding beneficial owners. It calls on them to consider incorporating into their national legislation a definition of beneficial ownership and mechanisms for identifying such owners, as well as establishing central registries or equivalent information systems that ensure the availability of sufficient, accurate, and up-to-date information, enabling law enforcement authorities to access it in a timely manner and share it with their counterparts in other countries.

It further noted that the resolution encourages adopting a risk-based approach and imposing effective, proportionate, and dissuasive sanctions for non-disclosure or the provision of misleading information, while promoting the voluntary exchange of information, taking into account confidentiality provisions and data protection, without hindering legitimate business and investment activities.

The resolution also calls for strengthening communication channels among competent authorities and leveraging the Global Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities (GlobE) under the umbrella of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), as well as utilizing modern technologies, including artificial intelligence, for collecting, analyzing, and securely exchanging relevant data, alongside enhancing technical assistance and training programs.

The statement quoted Dr. Majid Al-Daihani, Deputy Chairman of Nazaha, who emphasized in his speech that Kuwait has been keen to contribute to the Mecca Convention since its early stages. Nazaha had provided its observations regarding the scope of the convention, its definitions, and the drafting of its preamble, some of which were incorporated into the adopted text. He announced that Kuwait had recently ratified the convention pursuant to Decree No. 115 of 2026.