Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has praised the global efforts made by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in the fight against corruption alongside other nations, stating that Qatar has become a leading country in integrity and transparency.
He said this in a speech delivered during the award ceremony of the 7th edition of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani International Anti-Corruption Excellence (ACE) Award held in Tashkent Tuesday.
Mirziyoyev added that “hands will remain open in the mission to stop corruption”, as reflected in the memorial dedicated to this award.
He affirmed the support for the steadfast heroes on the path of justice and their honorable work.
He congratulated all the winners of the prestigious award and wished them success and happiness in all their responsible work.
Mirziyoyev expressed his deep thanks to His Highness the Amir, the founder of the award, and to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), for organising this event in his country.
He furthermore congratulated the Qatar government and its people on the occasion of the Qatar National Day.
The president said that under the wise leadership of His Highness the Amir, Qatar has accomplished great successes, reflected in the hosting of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, the 5th UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5), Expo 2023 Doha, and many other international events that prove that Qatar has become a global centre for co-operation and diplomacy.
Mirziyoyev noted that the relations between Qatar and Uzbekistan have reached great levels due to dialogue, constructive discussions and large joint projects, and said that organising the ACE Award in Uzbekistan symbolises the harmony and compatibility of goals between the two sides.
He said that establishing a global award in combating corruption deserves recognition since fighting corruption is a sacred duty for every honourable person, democratic society and country.
Mirziyoyev added that recognising the most active players in the world, who contribute to the fight against corruption, through this prestigious award helps in the continuous and full implementation of the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) that was adopted 20 years ago.
He stated that corruption has caused the downfall of the greatest and most powerful countries throughout history, posing a serious threat to humankind, undermining the foundations of entire societies, severely affecting economic growth, the legal system, and confidence in state institutions, and obstructing the development of democratic institutions and plans to achieve sustainable development goals.
The president noted that according to international reports, the cost of global corruption is estimated about $3tn.
This still does not reveal the actual situation and real numbers, Mirziyoyev said, as it is not possible to fully reveal the true value of the damage since the psychological effect it causes on societies cannot be measured.
In this regard, he affirmed that they are aware of this challenge and are working closely with international organisations such as the UN, the World Bank, economic co-operation and development organisations, and more.
There are also legal and institutional reforms to combat corruption being implemented.
Mirziyoyev reviewed in his speech Uzbekistan’s efforts to combat corruption, including adopting an anti-corruption law and establishing an agency while working to enhance the transparency and effectiveness of the government and raising its responsibilities, reduce bureaucracy, improve state services, improve its services, and develop preventive mechanisms to confront corruption.
He proposed in this regard the establishment of a regional research centre on corruption issues to enhance communication, exchange experiences and conduct scientific research, as well as establishing a global media forum to benefit from the capabilities of journalists to fight corruption and increase their access to information.
