Kuwait Presents New Proposal to Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Agencies of OIC Member States

Kuwait – Kuwait, represented by the Public Authority for Combating Corruption (Nazaha), submitted a new draft resolution, which was adopted at the closing session of the Third Ministerial Meeting of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Agencies in the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held in Baku.

Nazaha stated in a press release on Wednesday 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 Item 6 of Article 5 of the Mecca Convention on Cooperation in the Field of Combating Corruption Law Enforcement, which included the identification of beneficial owners among areas of close cooperation between law enforcement authorities in State Parties, based on the premise that concealing the identity of the beneficial owner is one of the most prominent 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 owners and mechanisms for identifying them, as well as establishing central registers 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.

The resolution encourages the adoption of a risk-based approach and the imposition of effective, proportionate, and dissuasive sanctions for non-disclosure or the provision of misleading information, along with the voluntary exchange of information, while respecting confidentiality and data protection provisions and without hindering legitimate business and investment activities.

It further calls for strengthening communication channels between 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), and 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. Majad Al-Daihani, Deputy Chairman of the Authority, emphasizing in his speech that Kuwait has been keen to contribute to the Mecca Convention since its early stages. Nazaha 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 in accordance with Decree No. 115 of 2026.

Al-Daihani outlined the key legislative developments in Kuwait, including the issuance of Decree-Law No. 69 of 2025 amending the law establishing Nazaha, which expanded the scope of those subject to financial disclosure and strengthened whistleblower protection. He also highlighted Decree-Law No. 79 of 2025 on International Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters, which established a comprehensive framework for mutual legal assistance, extradition, and asset recovery.

He concluded his speech by reaffirming Kuwait’s firm commitment to enhancing cooperation among law enforcement agencies in member states and exchanging information and expertise quickly and securely, thereby depriving corrupt individuals of any safe haven for themselves and their illicit proceeds.

The meeting witnessed the adoption of the agenda and work program, the report of the Senior Officials Meeting, and the delivery of speeches by heads of delegations and representatives of participating regional and international organizations. Several draft resolutions were adopted, including the resolution submitted by Kuwait and the final report of the meeting, alongside the issuance of the final communique.

A delegation from Nizahat, led by Deputy Chairman Dr. Majad Al-Daihani, participated in the meeting convened under the chairmanship of the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Dr. Kamran Aliyev, and attended by the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, as well as ministers and heads of anti-corruption law enforcement agencies from member states. (End) A.Z. / A.M.H.