The sixth session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Arab Anti-Corruption Convention opened on Monday under the chairmanship of Hamad bin Nasser al-Misnad, president of Qatar’s Administrative Control and Transparency Authority (ACTA). The three-day conference, held in Qatar, provides a platform for member states to coordinate efforts in implementing measures against corruption in the Arab region.

In his opening remarks, Saeed Shehadeh, adviser to the head of the Palestinian Anti-Corruption Commission and chair of the conference’s fifth session, expressed appreciation to Qatar for its hospitality and the logistical support it provided during Palestine’s presidency of the previous session. He noted that despite the challenges posed by severe restrictions imposed on the Palestinian Anti-Corruption Commission by Israel and complications arising from ongoing regional conflicts, Palestine had fulfilled its responsibilities. Shehadeh acknowledged the assistance of Arab states that supported Palestine by hosting activities and facilitating meetings, which were often not possible to hold within Palestinian territories due to prevailing circumstances. He expressed hope that the current session would enhance collective Arab cooperation in combating corruption.

Dr. Maha Bakheet, acting head of the Legal Affairs Sector, director of the Legal Affairs Department of the Conference’s General Secretariat, and head of the Conference Secretariat, outlined the procedural context of the meeting. She said the session was convened in accordance with Resolution No. 7, which was adopted during the previous conference held in Cairo in May 2024. This resolution established a formal mechanism for member states to submit draft resolutions for consideration.

Bakheet added that the General Secretariat had invited States Parties to propose items or draft resolutions for inclusion on the agenda, and noted that several preparatory consultative meetings had taken place via video conference. These were coordinated jointly by the Palestinian Anti-Corruption Commission, chair of the fifth session, and Qatar’s ACTA, chair of the current session. The draft resolutions under consideration aim to support the effective implementation of the Arab Anti-Corruption Convention, reinforce cooperation between member states, and share best practices in preventing and combating corruption.

The Conference of the States Parties serves as the regional institutional framework to monitor and promote adherence to the Arab Convention against Corruption, encourage coordination among Arab countries, and facilitate experience exchange in governance and transparency. The first conference was convened in Cairo in 2015, and as of May 2024, the convention had been ratified by 15 Arab states. The current session reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen collective action against corruption amid complex political and security challenges faced by some member states.