On January 7th, 2020 the 3rd session of Conference of State Parties convened in Rabat and put a spotlight on anti-corruption. Moroccan Prime Minister Saad Eddine El-Othmani stated that “corruption is one of the main obstacles hindering the development and stability of societies.” He went on to express that the two-day event would benefit from addressing these issues and studying international examples for insight on how to manage terrorism. In particular, he referenced a 2016 study conducted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The minister commented on Morocco’s anti-corruption measures, praising the kingdom for improving significantly. In a Doing Business Report issued by the World Bank, Morocco made history in 2019 by ranking as 53rd out of 190 countries. Furthermore, the IMF report showed that Morocco has also improved from a qualitative perspective. In 2017, the country had ranked 90 of 180 countries in corruption perception; in 2019, its status was reported at 73rd. Currently, Morocco ranks as the first in North Africa and 6th in the Arab world.
In addition to the regular members of the Arab Anti-Corruption Convention, delegations from Yemen, Libya, and Mauritania were in attendance during the first meeting of 2020.