"Judicial Studies" and "Nizah": Integration of National Efforts to Protect Public Funds and Combat Corruption

This came during a panel discussion organized by the Institute at its headquarters in cooperation with the Authority, under the title “Legal, Supervisory, and Security Integration in Protecting Public Funds and Combating Corruption,” as part of the institutional partnership and to activate the memorandum of understanding signed between the two parties.

Badr Al-Musaed, First Advisor and Director of the Kuwait Institute for Judicial and Legal Studies, said in his speech that protecting public funds is not merely an administrative or financial duty, but a shared legal and national responsibility linked to safeguarding state resources, enhancing trust in institutions, and consolidating principles of integrity, transparency, and accountability.

Al-Musaed added that the panel discussion holds significant national and institutional importance due to the legal, supervisory, and security integration in protecting public funds and combating corruption. He clarified that confronting corruption in light of the evolution of financial and technological transactions requires moving from addressing violations after they occur to building an integrated system for prevention, early detection, and accountability.

He pointed out the importance of integration among three main pathways: the legal pathway, through developing legislation and ensuring its proper implementation; the supervisory pathway, by strengthening preventive oversight, risk analysis, and early detection of violations; and the security pathway, through developing investigative and analytical tools, collecting evidence, and tracing funds derived from crimes, while respecting legal safeguards.

He also highlighted the importance of specialized training and capacity-building in developing legal, supervisory, and security capabilities, and keeping pace with developments, particularly the opportunities and challenges posed by modern technologies and artificial intelligence in detecting and combating corruption crimes.

Al-Musaed affirmed the commitment of the Kuwait Institute for Judicial and Legal Studies (“Judicial Studies”) and the National Authority for Combating Corruption (“Nazaha”) to jointly provide platforms for dialogue and exchange of expertise, and to enhance cooperation with national institutions, contributing to the development of institutional practices and supporting the public fund protection system in the State of Kuwait.

For her part, Dr. Rana Al-Faris, President of the National Authority for Combating Corruption (“Nazaha”), emphasized the importance of integrating legal, supervisory, and security roles in protecting public funds and combating corruption, stressing that safeguarding public money is a national responsibility that requires the concerted efforts of relevant authorities, integration of expertise, and continuous cooperation and institutional dialogue.

Dr. Al-Faris said in her speech that protecting public funds is linked to society’s right to its resources and the state’s ability to fulfill its commitments and achieve development. She noted that this responsibility is grounded in a firm constitutional principle, as Article 17 of the Constitution of the State of Kuwait states that “public funds are inviolable, and their protection is obligatory on every citizen.”

She explained that this principle is embodied in the penal legislation system in Kuwait, foremost among which are the Penal Code and its complementary laws, including Law No. 1 of 1993 concerning the Protection of Public Funds, Law No. 2 of 2016 on the Establishment of the National Authority for Combating Corruption, and provisions related to the disclosure of financial status and its amendments, all of which strengthen the protection of public funds and hold perpetrators of violations accountable.

She stressed that safeguarding public funds and consolidating the rule of law is a shared goal that requires concerted efforts, integration of expertise, and continuous responsible dialogue. She expressed pride in the partnership between “Nazaha” and “Judicial Studies,” and emphasized the commitment to continuing to activate this partnership to achieve common objectives and contribute to serving the State of Kuwait and safeguarding its resources.

The panel discussion, which featured experts from relevant authorities, shed light on the legal framework for protecting public funds and combating corruption. It also reviewed the supervisory and preventive roles in enhancing integrity and safeguarding public funds, as well as the security role in uncovering crimes against public funds and the investigative and fact-finding procedures.

Participants emphasized that public funds are sacred and that holding a public office is not merely an assignment or responsibility, but a duty imposed by national responsibility and legal rules. They noted that protecting and preserving public funds is an obligation incumbent upon every citizen.

They pointed out that the Kuwaiti legislator has granted special protection to public funds, the fight against corruption, and the preservation of the honor of public office by enshrining these principles in the Law on the Protection of Public Funds, the Kuwaiti Penal Code, and related legislation.

They stressed that protecting public funds and combating corruption are not just legal provisions that criminalize anyone proven to have violated public funds; rather, they constitute an integrated system that begins with legislation and the sound management of public funds and public office, followed by monitoring expenditures and the implementation of functional laws, and culminates in the actual enforcement of legal provisions and the pursuit and accountability of anyone proven to have misused public funds.

The panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Ahmed Al-Muqalled, Advisor and Deputy Director of the Institute’s Relations, Communications, and Research Sector, was attended by Saud Al-Sanea, Advisor and Deputy Director of the Institute’s Continuous and Specialized Training Sector; Abdulhamid Al-Hammar, Director of the Legal Affairs Department and Acting Director of the Technical Office Department at Nizahat (Integrity); and Sergeant Salem Al-Humaidah, representative of the Public Funds Crime Prevention Department at the Ministry of Interior.