Analytical study recommends supporting the Prime Minister’s approach to reduce corruption in state institutions

An analytical study recommended the need to support the approach adopted by the internationally recognized Prime Minister, Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, to reduce rampant corruption in government institutions, leading to its transformation into a fixed approach in the country.

The study issued by the Mokha Center for Strategic Studies , on Thursday, said, "The current Prime Minister, Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, adopted anti-corruption policies and included them among the priorities of his government, which he assumed the presidency of on February 5, 2024."

She added that during the previous period, "he moved the anti-corruption file and took a number of measures to reduce it, including stimulating and activating the Central Agency for Control and Accounting, referring corruption cases to the Public Prosecution, based on reports from the Central Agency for Control and Accounting, and activating the partnership with the international community to support reform paths. These measures were crowned by a directive from the Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council to publish a number of reports from the Central Agency for Control and Accounting on a number of corruption cases, and a number of accompanying directives."

The study published a number of executive measures taken by Ben Mubarak in his approach to combating corruption in state institutions, at the forefront of which is the financial corruption that accompanies the purchase of oil and fuels for operating electricity.

The study stated that this approach, which has been absent since the rebuilding of the legitimate authority institutions in 2015, faces many challenges and obstacles, which requires support and assistance from both internal and external parties.

Corruption has become a threat to legitimate authority.

 The study explained that with the decline in government resources since October 2022, due to the ban on oil exports, the decline in financial support provided by the two countries of the "Arab coalition", and more significantly the collapse of the value of the national currency and the significant erosion of its purchasing value, in parallel with the rise in prices, corruption has turned into a serious threat to the legitimate authority, especially with the blockage of the settlement and military action paths alike, and the remaining of most of the state's leaders outside the country, and their receipt of large monthly financial payments in hard currency, through what is known as the "subsistence statement".

The study referred to the Corruption Perceptions Index ( IPC ) 2024 report, recently published by Transparency International, which placed Yemen among the most corrupt countries in the world, scoring 13 out of 100 on the index.

She added: “The Corruption Perceptions Index report referred to above confirms that corruption in fragile and conflict-affected countries, such as Yemen, exacerbates humanitarian and economic crises, and weakens the ability of governments to provide basic services and protect citizens. It also indicated that corruption hinders the implementation of climate projects aimed at protecting vulnerable communities from the effects of climate change.”

How can we support government efforts to reduce corruption ?

 The study recommended that the Yemeni parties, especially the Presidential Leadership Council, political parties, other components supporting it, and external parties, mobilize political and financial support for the paths of financial and administrative reform and combating corruption, which are adopted by the current government.

On February 10, the “From the Other Side” program, presented by colleague Abdullah Dubla on the “Yemeni Youth” channel, revealed that Alimi and Al-Zubaidi were preparing a plan to change Prime Minister Ahmed bin Mubarak - who was appointed in February 2024 - starting with a mission to convince foreign ambassadors of the futility of continuing it by arranging meetings with leaders in the Transitional Council who are part of the Presidential Council.

The decision to oust Prime Minister Bin Mubarak was previously discussed, and the ambassadors of the five countries in Yemen were prevented, asking for a chance to combat corruption and implement administrative reform. It was agreed to change some ministers, but this did not happen.

According to identical sources, "the disagreements between the Presidency Council and the Prime Minister began after he withheld a large portion of the budgets allocated to the offices of the Presidency Council members and a number of ministries and institutions, especially those sent abroad."

At the beginning of last January, the government revealed the start of an investigation into 20 cases of financial corruption in 7 government agencies, with a total of more than 1 billion, 720 million, and 679 thousand US dollars. Ben Mubarak considered that “combating corruption and enhancing transparency represent one of the main paths of the comprehensive reform program.”