ZERO TOLERANCE FOR CORRUPTION IN OMAN
The initiative comes at a time when public opinion sees its implementation as vital for ensuring the success of Oman’s 2040 Vision
MUSCAT: To combat corruption, the government of Oman has launched strategic programmes within the 10th five-year plan.
In an unprecedented step, the government has, for the first time, allocated efforts to enhance integrity, combat corruption, and enable the media as the fourth authority in the 10th five-year development plan.
The government also confirmed its determination to combat administrative and financial corruption in all its forms, with control, transparency, accountability and anti-corruption efforts among the priorities of the plan through five strategic programmes.
Among these is the “Anti
Corruption Programme and Reducing Abuse of Public Funds”, which aims to develop measures to strengthen the fight against administrative and financial corruption, and to address and reduce cases of abuse of public money and power.
This comes at a time when public opinion sees the importance of implementing this on the ground to ensure the success of Oman’s 2040 Vision, which in turn will lead to sustainable development, building a strong economy, and effective government integrity, according to the strategic programmes document of the 10th five-year development plan published by the Ministry of Economy.
To ensure its implementation, four civil and security-focused government agencies will complete the implementation of the roles entrusted to them through the coordination and integration mechanisms within this strategy.
These are the State Financial and Administrative Control Authority, the Public Prosecution, the Royal Oman Police, and the Internal Security Service.
This will help build an integrated control system that protects national capabilities, strengthen national competencies of the authorities concerned, improve coordination and integration between the above organisations, help protect public money, and prevent infringement.
It will also help put into practice the results of Oman’s review of the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, which the Sultanate joined in 2013.
Other efforts to halt corruption include one titled “Activating Judicial Seizure Procedures for Members of the State’s Financial and Administrative Control Authority”, which aims to enhance coordination with the Royal Oman Police and the Public Prosecution.
It will also enable the State’s Financial and Administrative Control Authority to take legal measures to implement judicial seizure, and ensure that the concerned procedures are followed in accordance with the law.
Furthermore, the recommendations of the authority contained in its supervisory reports will be implemented forthwith. No procrastination is to take place in their implementation. The move also involves activating judicial control procedures for members of the authority, as well as enables other entities to inform the above body, should they discover any prejudice regarding the management of public funds.