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Manama: Bahrain will join the Global Organisation of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC) by opening an office soon.
The office will be responsible for informing MPs about mechanisms to reduce corruption through improving legislation and engaging citizens in monitoring the government, MP Dr Ali Ahmad told Gulf News on Tuesday.
The establishment of the office will be promoted by Dr Ali through the support of his Al Manber Islamic Bloc. The GOPAC is an international network of parliamentarians dedicated to good governance and combating corruption throughout the world. Founded in 2002 at a conference hosted by the Canadian House of Commons and Senate, GOPAC has many members around the world, organised into regional and national chapters.
The office will offer training to MPs to enhance their supervision and legislative skills, suggest code of conduct for deputies and promote parliamentarians with an anti-money laundering agenda. It will also call for the implementation of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, Dr Ahmad said. "The office is a must in the Kingdom, as financial and administrative corruption is stopping the Kingdom from progressing," he said.
He said that the office would promote healthy relations between the executive authority and civic organisations and strengthen the parliamentarians' supervisory role. Dr Ahmad said that corruption couldn't be fought without transparency and the engagement of the public in the country's affairs.
The office will be a gathering place for MPs to meet, exchange experiences and discuss mechanisms to enhance the power of the legislative authority.
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