Kuwait’s Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) has secured a key international leadership role after winning 91 percent of the votes to chair the third thematic working group on knowledge and peer learning within the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s (UNODC) Globe Network.
The election took place during a video conference meeting on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, reflecting international confidence in Kuwait’s capabilities and its contribution to global efforts to combat corruption. Under its new mandate, Nazaha will lead the working group and coordinate its activities with other working groups, the network’s General Secretariat and its Steering Committee.
The team’s work will focus on strengthening knowledge-sharing, exchanging practical experience and enhancing cooperation among law enforcement authorities responsible for combating corruption worldwide. Anwar Al-Qudairi, Director of the International Cooperation Department at Nazaha, described the election as an achievement for Kuwait, saying the 91 percent vote was not merely support for the authority’s leadership of an international working group, but also a vote of confidence in the country and its national expertise.
The official said the result carried a responsibility to intensify efforts and deliver tangible achievements. The election, she added, reflected Nazaha’s ambition to move beyond participation in international forums and the exchange of experience towards directly leading initiatives and helping shape joint international efforts against corruption.
Al-Qudairi stressed that the significance of the appointment lay in the working group’s practical responsibilities, particularly its role in turning international knowledge and experience into tools that authorities could use to tackle increasingly complex corruption offences, especially those involving cross-border activity.
The official noted that effective anti-corruption efforts required more than legislation and legal powers. They also depended on access to specialized knowledge, learning from other countries’ experiences and developing the skills of professionals working in the field. Nazaha would therefore measure its success not simply by holding a leadership position, but by the practical initiatives and results delivered for members of the network, she said.
Dhari Buayabs, Nazaha’s observer of international organizations and conferences, said the third working group played an important role in developing guidance and knowledge materials, sharing best practices among law enforcement agencies and monitoring emerging challenges and patterns in corruption offences.
These included crimes linked to modern technologies, virtual assets and artificial intelligence. The group would also propose initiatives aimed at improving the effectiveness of the authorities responsible for detecting and investigating corruption.
Buayabs said Nazaha would use its leadership to strengthen coordination among member entities, promote the exchange of successful experiences and develop knowledge and training initiatives. The objective was to help authorities uncover corruption offences, prosecute those responsible, trace illicit proceeds and recover funds obtained through corruption.
He emphasized that knowledge-sharing should lead to practical tools and applicable initiatives that strengthen anti-corruption agencies and improve international cooperation in pursuing cross-border crimes. The GlobE Network comprises 256 anti-corruption bodies from 137 countries and provides a platform for direct and secure communication among law enforcement authorities, helping accelerate information exchange and cooperation on cross-border cases.
Nazaha’s election followed its participation in the network’s seventh General Assembly meeting in Vienna, Austria, from August 25 to 28, 2026. During the meeting, Kuwait presented its experience in international cooperation and combating transnational corruption, efforts to promote transparency regarding beneficial ownership, and the electronic receipt of reports through the Sahl application.
The Kuwaiti delegation also held bilateral meetings with representatives of anti-corruption bodies from several countries to explore opportunities for closer cooperation and the exchange of information and expertise.
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