The UN senior envoy in Somalia on Monday called on the government to strengthen the fight against corruption which is an obstacle to development and public trust.
James Swan, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia acknowledged the country’s progress in strengthening the rule of law and building accountable and transparent institutions.
“Corruption is a major obstacle to development,” he said.
It undermines efforts toward state-building, peace and reconciliation. It erodes public trust and weakens state institutions’ ability to deliver to their people,”
Swan said the UN was very encouraged by the recent signing into law of the Bill on the establishment of the anti-corruption commission by President Mohamed Farmajo, and the elaboration of the national anti-corruption strategy.
“These are commendable steps forward for Somalia,” he said.
He said a key instrument to sustain, manage and track countries’ fight against corruption was the UN Convention against Corruption, the world’s only legally binding universal anti-corruption instrument.
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According to Swan, though Somalia is yet to sign and ratify the Convention, the UN welcomes steps that are being taken toward the goal, such as the progress with the anti-corruption commission and the anti-corruption strategy.
He said that the UN system had since established an anti-corruption platform with international financial institutions and other development partners to provide technical and advisory services to Somalia in its efforts to curb corruption.
Swan said that other Unite Nations programmes that mobilised resources to support the country’s anti-corruption efforts across the country, centred on institutions and awareness-raising and on the judicial aspects of anti-corruption.