Kuwait Times

Published Date: November 22, 2009

BEIRUT: An Arab anti-corruption body chief said here yesterday the Kuwaiti National Assembly (parliament) would pass a package against corruption in December. Speaking on the sidelines of a seminar held by Arab Parliamentarians against Corruption in Beirut, the organization's chairman Nasser Al-Sanea of Kuwait said a Kuwaiti parliamentary session would be held on Dec 9 to debate and pass several anti-corruption bills. He deemed such a step a message from the State of Kuwait that it had adopted minimum piec
es of legislation against corruption.

As a democratic country, Kuwait is in the forefront of the countries which are working in earnest to fight corruption, he said, recalling to memory that Kuwait played host to the 3rd conference of parliamentarians against corruption under the aegis of His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in 2008. Kuwait signed the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) a couple of years ago.

Meanwhile, Al-Sanea called for protecting those who inform against corruption by means of enacting relevant bills. Concerning Kuwait's order in the anti-corruption world and Arab lists, he said it had fallen from 65 to 66 and from the seventh to the eighth position respectively.

Meanwhile, Kuwait's democracy and openness guaranteed the country a prominent position and welfare for its nationals, an Egyptian academic said. Kuwait's political system is "modern and liberal," professor of sociology at Ibn Khaldoun Center for Development Studies at the American University in Cairo Dr. Saadaldin Ibrahim said in an article published yesterday by "Masry Al-Youm" gazette.

Since it gained independence, Kuwait has set an example as a democracy "pioneer" through ensuring nationals their rights in health care services, housing, education, and by participating in the decision-making process, he said.

Kuwait worked hand-in-hand with Arab countries through Kuwait Fund for Economic and Social Development and its projects that covered Sudan, Mauritania, Yemen, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt and Morocco, he said. He indicated at the fund that Kuwait established for the upcoming generations, which was a great step that inspired developed countries such as Norway.

Kuwaiti private sector also contributes to Kuwait's development through funding the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), an institution concerned with scientific research and development, he said.

Just like Nobel Prize, KFAS has assigned a number of awards for those who contribute to the domain of scientific research, he added. Ibrahim hinted at latest parliamentary elections, where four women were elected to represent the nation for the first time in Kuwait's history. --- KUNA