Doha, Qatar – On Tuesday, 7 February 2023, GOPAC Executive Committee held a meeting in Doha, Qatar. 

The meeting was chaired by H.E. Dr. Ali bin Fetais Al Marri and attended by GOPAC Vice-Chair Hon. Dr. Fadli Zon (Indonesia), GOPAC Vice-Chair Dr. Carlos Alberto Perez Cuevas (Mexico), GOPAC Secretary Mr. John Hyde (Australia), GOPAC Member-at-Large Dr. Naser Al-Sane (Kuwait), and GOPAC Member-at-Large Mr. Jagannath Khatiwada (Nepal). The meeting discussed organization’s governance issues, welcomed the new GOPAC Board from Benin, Rwanda, Mozambique, and New Zealand. 

GOPAC Chair H.E. Dr. Ali bin Fetais Al Marri during the meeting called GOPAC to strengthen parliamentary engagement to the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) since parliaments are the backbone of policy-decision making process. UNCAC, as the sole international legally binding instrument against corruption, is essential to forge a stronger and better anti-corruption regime at the national level. 

Therefore, GOPAC Chair suggested to have a parliamentary dialogue on UNCAC as a side-event to be held during GOPAC Annual General Meeting on 8-9 March 2023. “UNCAC is crucial for us and parliament and parliamentarians need to have a deeper understanding about the convention and its provisions in order for us to effectively implement the convention,” he said. 

GOPAC Vice-Chair Dr. Fadli Zon also stressed the importance of UNTOC which should be another forum to strengthen the role of parliamentarians. 

The meeting concluded with unanimous agreement that GOPAC will organize the dialogue on UNCAC and the Annual General Meeting in Doha on March 2023. 

GOPAC SECRETARIAT