Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Office and UN Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna Dr Ghada Waly highlighted the contribution Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award made to enhancing co-operation in countering corruption, expressing her thanks to Qatar and its wise leadership for continuing to support the award and its leading role in fighting corruption.
During her speech at the award ceremony held in Doha, Her Excellency thanked the Rule of Law and Anti-corruption Center for its extended partnership with the UNODC in the areas of confronting corruption crimes, upholding the rule of law and supporting the role of parliaments in this regard. She highlighted the need for cooperation in fighting corruption, referring in this regard to the idea of the memorial dedicated to the award and the symbolism of its design and content, expressing her happiness that it is placed in front of the United Nations building in Vienna. Her Excellency saluted the State of Qatar and FIFA for the wonderful organization of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, saying it offered hope on uniting peoples at a time of increasing conflicts. She stressed that corruption was undermining development, infrastructure, and the ability to respond to emergencies.
Her Excellency stressed the importance of this celebration, which expresses the commitment of the State of Qatar to exercise its vital role in raising international awareness of the importance of combating corruption and its commitment to continuing its close partnership with the United Nations for the sixth year in a row in presenting the His Highness's Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani International Anti-corruption Excellence Award, a celebration that was repeated in different capitals, starting with Vienna in 2016 and ending in Doha this year, to coincide with the presence of the whole world in Qatar on the occasion of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. She said that governments play a primary role in combatting all forms of corruption, stressing that they can't win that war unless officials, academics, youth, organizations and individuals cooperate.
Her Excellency concluded her speech by saying that the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 was described as the competition of surprises, noting that this year's anti-corruption award were just as inspirational with their determination. She also paid tribute to the State of Qatar for celebrating dreamers and fighters against corruption.