Integrity and Honesty in the Eastern Province: Workshop to warn against conflicts of interest
In a move aimed at strengthening government operations and promoting self-regulation, the Eastern Province Municipality, in cooperation with the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha), organized a specialized workshop on Wednesday entitled "Disclosure, Transparency, and Conflict of Interest in Government Departments." This initiative is part of a series of joint efforts to raise institutional awareness of the risks of administrative corruption and the importance of good governance.
National context and ambitious vision
This workshop cannot be viewed in isolation from the comprehensive transformation underway in Saudi Arabia since the launch of Vision 2030, which has placed transparency and combating corruption among its core pillars. Government agencies, including the municipal sector, are working to align their procedures with the National Strategy for Protecting Integrity, which aims to create a secure investment and employment environment that guarantees equal opportunities and prevents any practices that could harm public funds or the public interest.
Transparency as a cornerstone of municipal performance
During a meeting hosted by the Municipality Theater, the Mayor of the Eastern Province, Engineer Fahd Al-Jubair, emphasized that combating corruption has transcended mere oversight procedures to become a daily work culture and a fundamental pillar for ensuring efficient performance. Al-Jubair noted that the strategic partnership with the National Anti-Corruption Commission (Nazaha) aims to elevate municipal work to higher levels of transparency, thereby enhancing public trust in the services provided and achieving the goals of building a vibrant society and an effective government.
Dismantling the "gray areas"
For his part, Abdullah Al-Qarni, Director General of the General Department of Systems and Governance at Nazaha (the National Anti-Corruption Commission), reviewed the technical and legal aspects of the concept of "conflict of interest." Al-Qarni focused his presentation on clarifying the subtle differences between the public interest and personal gain, warning against falling into what are known as "gray areas," which an employee might unintentionally enter due to a lack of precise knowledge of the regulations. He also provided a comprehensive explanation of disclosure mechanisms as a preventative tool that protects both the employee and the institution.
The importance and impact of legal awareness
Such workshops are crucial in protecting public employees from legal accountability, as a deep understanding of codes of conduct and anti-corruption regulations helps prevent municipal staff from committing serious violations. At the institutional level, adherence to transparency standards improves the Kingdom's ranking in global corruption perception indices, positively impacting the economic environment and attracting investment to the region.
Institutionalizing integrity and developing human resources
In a related context, Jamal Al-Sulaiman, Director General of Human Resources at the Municipality, explained that these awareness programs are part of a comprehensive plan to develop human capital. He emphasized that the Municipality seeks to institutionalize the values of integrity, transforming them from mere regulations into practical practices and an integral part of the organizational culture. This will directly impact the quality and speed of services provided to residents of the Eastern Province and ensure the sustainability of urban development according to the highest ethical standards.
