Qatar and the United Nations yesterday signed a declaration of intent to establish the United Nations judicial integrity centre for research and training in Doha, on the sidelines of the second high-level meeting of the Global Judicial Integrity Network held at the Sheraton Doha Hotel.
The declaration intent was signed by HE the President of the Court of Cassation and President of Supreme Judiciary Council Dr Hassan Lahdan Saqr al-Mohanadi, and Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Executive Director John Brandolino.
The declaration of intent between the Supreme Judiciary Council and the UNODC is a prelude to the final signing between the two sides to create an international research and training centre specialising in judicial integrity matters.
This step is a complement to the efforts of the Supreme Judiciary Council and its international partner in creating the Global Judicial Integrity Network in 2018 and a fruit of the judicial integrity pillar, one of the four pillars included in the global programme to implement the Doha Declaration on Prevention and Criminal Justice in 2015.
By hosting this UN centre, Doha will be a global centre for enhancing judicial capabilities and a reference for judicial institutional policies on integrity, through what it will provide to world judges in terms of training, consultations and opportunities to support academic and institutional research projects in the relevant fields.
The new centre will be part of the United Nations complex pledged by Qatar, which hosts a number of centres and headquarters of international organisations, especially the specialised or those with a professional personality.
Meanwhile, the Regional Representative for the Gulf Region at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Judge Hatem Fouad Ali has commended Qatar’s efforts in achieving justice and enhancing the transparency and integrity of the judiciary.
He praised Doha’s efforts in this regard through the global programme to implement the Doha Declaration adopted by the United Nations Conference on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice held in Doha in 2015, which one of its most important recommendations was “Working to support the integrity and transparency of the judiciary worldwide”.
In a press statement on the sidelines of the second high-level meeting of the Global Judicial Integrity Network, Ali explained that the establishment of the Global Network of Judicial Integrity is one of the fruits of the Doha Declaration, praising Qatar for continuing to provide support for the implementation of all recommendations emanating from the International Conference of Crime Prevention, including this important meeting.
Dr Khalifa Abdullatif al-Meslemani, a judge in the Court of Appeal and member of the Doha Declaration follow-up team, confirmed that this meeting is one of the largest meetings in the world since the establishment of the United Nations in 1945, with more than 120 countries, 54 court presidents and more than 600 judges worldwide participating the conference.
He added that the meeting’s agenda, which will last for two days, will be full of working papers and panel discussions, noting that the most important aims of the meeting revolve around the use of artificial intelligence and modern technological media in the courts.
He noted the importance of this meeting, which discusses a number of important issues, including gender equality in judicial positions.
Dr al-Meslemani pointed out that Qatar has taken the lead in enabling Qatari women to take up positions in the judiciary, as Qatari women have proven complete and impressive success in assuming these positions.
UNODC executive director Brandolino and a representative of the executive director praised the achievements made on the ground since the establishment of the Global judicial Integrity Network, stressing continued deepening of relations to make the network a platform for judges around the world.
Brandolino noted the collective work done within the framework of the network, saying that the collective work that took place within less than two years of the existence of the network is unprecedented in its scope and extent.
He added that they have developed a series of practical guides on emerging judicial integrity issues and have implemented training programs in more than 45 countries.
Brandolino explained that the purpose of the Network is to assist judicial bodies in enhancing judicial integrity and preventing corruption in the judicial system by enhancing communication opportunities, facilitating access to resources and focusing on existing and emerging challenges related to judicial integrity.
The meeting will cover a number of issues and themes related to judicial integrity over the two-day event, which includes the development of judicial work mechanisms, the enhancement of reforms, the facilitation of access to information and modern technology to contribute to overcoming all obstacles.
Dr Hassan Lahdan Saqr al-Mohanadi and John Brandolino signed the agreement yesterday on establishing the United Nations Centre for Research and Training on Judicial Integrity in Doha. PICTURE: Thajudheen
