Doha, December 14 (QNA) - The flags of the State of Qatar and the United Nations (UN) were raised at the venue of the 11th session of the Conference of the States Parties to the UN Convention against Corruption (the UN Anti-Corruption Conference) on Sunday. Hosted by Doha from December 15 to 19, the conference will be attended by high-level international participants, including officials and experts from around the world.

The flag-raising ceremony was attended by HE President of the Administrative Control and Transparency Authority (ACTA) and HE Acting Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) John Brandolino, along with a number of senior officials, diplomats, and representatives of international organizations.

In his remarks during the ceremony, HE President of the ACTA Hamad bin Nasser Al Misnad said that raising the Qatari flag alongside the UN flag reflects the international community's shared commitment to combating corruption as a collective responsibility that transcends borders, stressing that international cooperation is the most important way to confront this phenomenon, which undermines development and human dignity.

His Excellency noted that the State of Qatar, which is hosting the conference for the second time after nearly fifteen years, is proud to welcome this important international event back to Doha. This reflects the international community's confidence in Qatar's role and its unwavering commitment to supporting international efforts, strengthening its partnership with the UN, and providing everything necessary to ensure the conference's success.

HE the President of the Authority added that corruption poses a real challenge to the stability of nations, hinders development efforts, and negatively impacts public trust in their institutions. He emphasized the importance of continuing to work towards consolidating the principles of integrity and transparency, promoting good governance, while hoping for a fruitful conference with tangible results contributing to building a better world free from corruption.

For his part, HE Acting Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime John Brandolino said raising the blue flag of the United Nations alongside the flag of the State of Qatar symbolizes a strong and enduring partnership spanning many years and significant milestones, including important ones hosted by Doha.

His Excellency added that Doha is hosting the Conference of the States Parties for the second time in its history, having previously hosted a pivotal session of the UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in 2015, noting that the legacy of these events has contributed to strengthening global cooperation in combating crime and corruption.

Highlighting that the conference is being held at a time when the world is facing a new wave of corruption challenges, as corrupt actors seek to exploit modern technologies and emerging vulnerabilities, he pointed out that corruption both fuels and is fueled by instability from local communities to relations between states.

Brandolino said that the UN Office on Drugs and Crime is proud of its renewed partnership with the State of Qatar, hoping that this session will represent a significant and impactful step towards enhancing integrity, transparency, and accountability at the global level. (QNA)