Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim’s anti-corruption awards given in Tunisia

The award recognises individuals, organisations and countries contributing to the global fight against corruption.

A 12-metre-tall statue of the award outside the Palais des Congres in Tunis was unveiled before the ceremony began [Al Jazeera]

Seven individuals and organisations from around the world were announced as the winners of Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani’s International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award held in Tunisia.

In partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the fifth edition of the awards ceremony took place in the capital, Tunis, on Wednesday. It was attended by senior UN officials and Qatari members of the Supreme Committee of the Award, among others.

The winners were the Perdana Leadership Foundation (Malaysia) in the Lifetime or Outstanding Achievement category; Dr Adam Graycar (Australia) and Dr Michael Levi (United Kingdom) in the Academic Research and Education category; and ONG Tolotsoa (Madagascar) and the Center for the Study of Democracy (Bulgaria) in the category of Youth Creativity and Engagement.

Riad Kobaissi (Lebanon) and Instituto Observatorio Politico e Socioambiental (Brazil) won in the category of Innovation.

“I congratulate the winners of the Excellence Award in Anti-Corruption for this year, which comes while the world is living in an exceptional circumstance due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Qatar’s Sheikh Tamim said in a tweet.

“I hope that the efforts of our international community will continue to consolidate the values of integrity and the rule of law. I also thank the brothers in Tunisia for hosting the award ceremony.”

The winners were present virtually at the ceremony because of precautions taken against coronavirus infection.

This year Qatar’s Attorney General Ali Bin Fetais Al-Marri, United Nations special advocate for the prevention of corruption, and Judge Imad Boukhreis, head of the National Anti-Corruption Commission of Tunisia, unveiled a 12-metre tall statue of the award outside the Palais des Congres in Tunis before the awards were presented.

The ceremony coincided with International Anti-Corruption day.

“This year’s International Anti-Corruption Day theme ‘Recover with Integrity’ emphasises the urgent need for countries to ensure that anti-corruption is an integral part of all sustainable development efforts: to build greener economies, end poverty, invest in women’s empowerment and gender equality, provide universal healthcare coverage, and foster resilient and inclusive institutions and societies,” the United Nations Development Fund said in a statement.

Source: Al Jazeera