In cooperation with Transparency International, AMAN-Coalition for
Integrity and Accountability began implementing a new and innovative
project entitled “Measuring
Anti-corruption Efforts and Building Demand for Effective National
Integrity Systems in Egypt and the Arab World” (MABDA).
In addition to Palestine, the program targets three other Arab
countries in the region; Lebanon, Morocco, and Egypt; with
additional benefit for Egypt to establish a TI chapter utilizing
experiences and expertise from the other national chapters
mentioned.
The project aims at
combating corruption through building National Integrity Systems
which begins by conducting similarstudies in the abovementioned
countries. It also aims at creating a network that can combat
corruption within the Arab World based on cooperation and
non-confrontational methods between Civil Society Organizations
(CSO) and individuals, and governments of the various countries.
Launching of the
MABDA project is a direct response to the spread of corruption at
the regional level despite the raised awareness and political will
to combat it through reform plans put forth by these countries.
Although progress has been noticed over the last five years in this
regard, more concrete reform measures and actions needed to be taken
in order to show a measurable progress on the ground.
For this reason,
the MABDA project is designed to combine scientific research and
existing support within the societies of these countries while
providing tools that can detect and measure anti-corruption
achievements through existing reform plans. The project aims of
achieving the following:
-
Developing
methodologies of the national integrity systems in the Arab
world, through the NIS studies, that can measure the level of
corruption and analyze its causes. The methodology will also
include tools to define the gabs found in the legislations of
each individual country as they relate to the United Nations
Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). Based on the results, the
studies will provide practical recommendations for each country
to apply.
-
Building the
capacities of civil societies in the Arab World for the purpose
of measuring anti-corruption efforts that aim at enhancing good
governance.
-
Developing and
implementing a national strategy plan that supports civil
society’s efforts and calls for reform in the fight against
corruption that includes both, governmental and non-governmental
sectors.
-
Supporting
Egyptian civil society in cooperation with other TI chapters in
the region.
It is important to
mention that a steering committee was formed at the end of the UN
Anticorruption Conference held in Jordan and in Bali during January
2008. The committee’s main purpose is to follow up on the progress
of this project on regional level. Members of the committee
constitute representatives from TI chapters in the Arab World;
Lebanon, Morocco and Palestine. Dr. Azmi Shuaibi is the
representative for the Palestine chapter who is also AMAN’s general
commissioner for Combating Corruption.
