Korea’s Anti-Corruption Policies Including Integrity Assessment and Anti-Corruption Initiative Assessment Introduced in Kuwait

ACRC-Kuwait Anti-Corruption Authority signed an MOU for anti-corruption cooperation

May 2, 2019

Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission

The Republic of Korea

Korea’s anti-corruption policies including Integrity Assessment and Anti-Corruption Initiative Assessment will be introduced in Kuwait, the fourth Arab nation to introduce Korea’s effective anti-corruption policies following Tunisia, Iraq, and Qatar.

During the Prime Minister’s visit to Kuwait, the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC, Chairperson Pak Un Jong) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on anti-corruption cooperation with Kuwait Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) *on May 1st (local time).

* Kuwait Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha), established in 2016, is an independent corruption prevention policy agency, designated for the role under the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.

Through the Korea-Kuwait MOU on anti-corruption cooperation, the two agencies will (a) share policies, experiences and information on anti-corruption; (b) develop capacity- building training and education programs for staff of each agency; (c) assist joint meetings including seminars and workshops; and (d) cooperate in other areas requiring mutual cooperation.

The MOU discussion started following Nazaha delegation’s visit to Korea in March designed to learn Korea’s major anti-corruption policies, when the ACRC and Nazaha agreed the need for a comprehensive cooperation in the anti-corruption area.

The MOU was signed by Vice Chairperson Lee Geonlee of the ACRC and Vice Chairperson Riyadh Humood Alhajeri of Nazaha with the attendance of Prime Minister Lee Nak Yeon of Korea and Prime Minister Sheik Jaber of Kuwait.

After the MOU signing ceremony, ACRC Vice Chairperson Lee Geonlee visited Nazaha to meet with President Abdulrahman Nemash Al-nemash of Nazaha and discussed ways for mutual exchanges and cooperation.

Kuwait is rich in natural resources with its oil reserves being the sixth largest in the world. With an aim to achieve sustainable development, the nation set up an independent anti-corruption agency, Nazaha in 2017 and implemented Conflicts of Interest Law last year and is now working to establish a national anti-corruption plan in cooperation with international organizations, thereby continuing to strengthening efforts to fight corruption.

Vice Chairperson Lee said, “successful anti-corruption cooperation between Korea and Kuwait will not only contribute to strengthening anti-corruption capacities of both nations but also to creating better business environment for Korean companies in Kuwait at a time when an increasing number of Korean companies do their business in the nation as the two nations’ economic cooperation is being expanded”