Egypt's resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh hosted the ninth session of the Conference of the States Parties (CoSP9) to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.
According to sources, the session began on Monday and will remain until December 17, with over 2,000 people from governments, regional and intergovernmental organizations, civil society, academia, and the commercial sector participating electronically and in person.
In a video message, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres stated, "Tackling corruption is crucial to preserve human rights, promote democratic accountability, and achieve inclusive, sustainable development." As per Guterres, the conference is an important opportunity to adopt international actions to tackle corruption, which has been a problem for some nations and has been exacerbated by the spread of the Covid-19 virus. He urged for countries to strengthen resource protection measures in order to eliminate corruption and ensure society's long-term growth.
"The CoSP9 in Egypt will turn the commitments made by member states during the first-ever UN General Assembly Special Session against corruption into tangible action," said Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and former Minister of Solidarity in Egypt.
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