RIYADH: In a push to combat fraudulency, Saudi Arabia is set to participate in the inaugural Global Conference on Harnessing Data to Improve Corruption Measurement, scheduled in Vienna from Aug. 31 to Sept. 1.
The delegation from the Kingdom will be headed by Mazin bin Ibrahim Al-Kahmous, president of the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority, also known as Nazaha, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Organized by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime along with international organizations focused on combating corruption, the conference will feature a hybrid format held at the UN headquarters.
The event will serve as a platform for policymakers, scientists, practitioners, and experts from various sectors to exchange knowledge, experiences, and best practices in measuring corruption and evaluating the impact of anti-corruption efforts.
The participants will discuss several topics, the most prominent of which is researching methodologies and establishing scientific foundations for measuring corruption rates in countries.
Interactive panels will delve into topics such as developing a UN statistical framework for corruption measurement, user-centered approaches, and the utilization of technology in data collection, analysis, and application.
Accurately measuring corruption is pivotal to understanding its origins, consequences, and trends, as well as devising and evaluating effective responses.
By establishing reliable and comparable indicators and data, the conference aims to bolster transparency, accountability, and evidence-based policymaking in the fight against corruption.
During the event, Al-Kahmous will address attendees, shedding light on Saudi Arabia’s local experiences, international efforts, and ongoing commitment in the realm of corruption prevention.
The conference aligns with Nazaha’s global initiative to measure corruption, aiming to address the challenges of establishing scientific protocols for international corruption measurement and identifying collaborative mechanisms to overcome them.
In a notable move last month, Nazaha initiated multiple criminal and administrative cases, resulting in the arrest of 65 individuals on corruption charges. These individuals were later released on bail.
The authorities conducted 2,230 inspections and investigated charges against 213 individuals, ultimately leading to the detainment of 65 individuals.
