By Bubacarr Gaye
The Honourable Minister of Interior, Abdoulie Sanyang, recently addressed the 2nd Ministerial Meeting of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Agencies of OIC Member States in Doha, Qatar. This Ministerial Meeting on anti-corruption-related issues and mechanisms, gathered world leaders, ministers and other representatives from different countries, pivoted on the subject matter that presents a deep-rooted and persistent challenge for the realization of the development aspirations and advancement as an Ummah, and as members of the larger international community.
Addressing the 15th OIC Islamic Summit, the Honorable Minster began by expressing his sincere gratitude and heartfelt appreciation to His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al–Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar and his government for hosting this high-level Ministerial Meeting. In the same vein, Minister Sanyang commended the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation for his commendable role and dedication towards consolidating intra–OIC cooperation and multilateral collaboration to fight corruption and other vices, including national and transnational organized crimes. “It is no secret that corruption threatens national security, impedes economic performance, aggravates poverty and undermines the rule of law, good governance and democracy,” he underlined.
He noted that The Gambia is not left behind in the global efforts to combat corruption and all its related vices highlighting that The Gambia Government have initiated several reforms geared towards introducing sanity in public administration which he said included tailored measures to deal with corruption and corrupt practices in The Gambia. Hon. Sanyang confided that the government has enacted a new legislation that he said will adequately address corruption, and promote accountability and transparency and public financial prudence. “The new legislation known as The Gambia Anti-Corruption Act 2023, has been enacted to prohibit and prescribe punishment for corrupt practices and other related offences,” Hon. Sanyang alluded.
In its efforts to combat corruption, The Minister underscored that The Gambia adheres not only to its national laws but also aligns with international anti-corruption frameworks. “The United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), for example, provides a global standard that The Gambia Supports through its commitment to transparency, legal enforcement, and the promotion of good governance practices,” He cited. Minister Sanyang further stated that corruption has far-reaching impacts that are beyond national borders emphasizing The Gambia’s advocates for stronger collaborations and coordination within the OIC and beyond. This, he said included a commitment to mutual assistance in areas such as intelligence sharing, asset recovery, and coordinated enforcement, which he said are crucial to handling transnational corruption cases.
“To build a stronger foundation for anti-corruption enforcement, The Gambia calls for greater technical assistance and cooperation among OIC member states. This includes capacity-building initiatives and technical support, which are instrumental in helping countries enhance their enforcement capabilities. Knowledge-sharing and cross-border collaboration on best practices can be transformative, enabling countries to learn from the successes of others in areas like asset recovery, law enforcement, and policy development,” the Interior Minister asserted. In conclusion, Minister Sanyang and the Gambian delegation expressed their full support of this session’s resolutions and called for the unanimous adoption and implementation of these resolutions. He equally renewed his gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for hosting the first Ministerial Meeting and its continued leadership efforts in the fight against corruption and related vices within our Ummah and beyond.
