Rana Al-Faris: Legal, Supervisory, and Security Integration to Protect Public Funds and Combat Corruption

Abdulkarim Ahmed

Dr. Rana Al-Faris, President of the Public Authority for Combating Corruption (“Nazaha”), emphasized that combating crimes against public funds requires effective coordination among legislative, supervisory, security, and judicial authorities, ensuring the rapid detection of violations, exposure of crimes, and accountability of those involved. She stressed that safeguarding public funds is a national duty linked to societal rights and citizens’ interests.

This statement was made during a panel discussion organized by the Kuwait Institute for Judicial and Legal Studies in collaboration with “Nazaha,” under the title “Legal, Supervisory, and Security Integration in Protecting Public Funds and Combating Corruption.”

Al-Faris explained that protecting public funds is grounded in a clear constitutional basis, specifically Article 17 of the Constitution, which affirms the sanctity of public funds and mandates every citizen to protect them. She noted that any violation of public funds extends beyond financial losses, disrupting projects, services, and developmental programs intended to benefit society.

She highlighted the importance of developing legislation and precisely defining jurisdictions and responsibilities, alongside enhancing the efficiency of supervisory bodies in detecting, documenting, and addressing deficiencies. She also called for improved security coordination in investigative and evidence-gathering activities, while adhering to the law, procedural safeguards, and the protection of rights. She affirmed that the judiciary and the Public Prosecution serve as the cornerstone for enforcing the law and achieving justice.

For his part, First Counselor Badr Al-Musaed, Director of the Kuwait Institute for Judicial and Legal Studies, stated that protecting public funds goes beyond administrative and financial aspects, constituting a legal and national responsibility tied to preserving state resources, strengthening trust in institutions, and reinforcing principles of transparency, integrity, accountability, and governance.

He pointed out that rapid developments in financial and technological transactions necessitate evolving anti-corruption methods, shifting from merely addressing violations after they occur to adopting a proactive approach based on prevention, risk assessment, early detection, and accountability. He noted that achieving this requires organized coordination among legal, supervisory, and security authorities, along with the exchange of information and expertise within a framework that respects each entity’s jurisdiction and independence.

Al-Musaed stressed the importance of specialized training and qualification to enhance the capacity of professionals in these fields and keep pace with technological advancements, particularly regarding the use of artificial intelligence and modern technologies to detect and combat corruption, and to leverage their potential in developing supervisory and investigative tools.

On his part, Dr. Ahmed Al-Maqled, Deputy Director of the Institute’s Communications, Relations, and Research Sector, who moderated the panel, clarified that protecting public funds cannot be achieved solely through legal provisions criminalizing violations. Rather, it requires an integrated system starting with legislation, extending to the sound management of state resources, adherence to public service duties, monitoring expenditures, and ultimately enforcing the law and pursuing anyone who violates public funds.

Al-Maqled affirmed that holding a public office entails national and legal responsibilities, requiring the fulfillment of duties and the preservation of public funds, as their protection and safeguarding are obligations incumbent upon every citizen.