GCC anti-corruption chiefs propose unified body

In their first meeting, heads of anti-corruption bodies in the Gulf Cooperation Council proposed forming a united body on the task. A committee from the six member nations along with the GCC Secretariat General will prepare a draft agreement on the issue that will be discussed at the next senior meeting. The recommendation was raised amongst several others in a two-day meeting which began in Kuwait on Sunday, and calls for the setting of the body, and the exchange of expertise, information and know-how on the matter. The meeting also raised the issue of the need for the GCC, as a regional bloc, to sign up to the UN Convention against Corruption and for member nations to meet the requirements of the GCC Secretariat General on the matter, reported the Kuwaiti news agency KUNA. Member nations were also called upon to each assign a committee of experts to discuss the proposal in light of international requirements. The proposals also called on member states to sign up to the Agreement for the Establishment of the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA) as an International Organisation.