The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has launched a comprehensive five-year strategic plan targeting systemic vulnerabilities in state procurement, the governance of state-owned enterprises and political corruption.
The plan was formally unveiled at a ceremony attended by international dignitaries, including the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the Maldives, Yahya Hassan Al-Qahtani, and officials from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
ACC Chairman Adam Shamil, speaking at the launch event, detailed the ambitious roadmap designed to strengthen national integrity. He explained that a core component of the strategy is to identify corruption hotspots within state-owned enterprises, reform their internal systems, and significantly strengthen monitoring mechanisms for all public procurement processes.
Additionally, Shamil emphasised that the plan gives unprecedented priority to preventing political corruption, which includes initiatives to ensure fair elections, promote transparency in public sector hiring, and rebuild public confidence in state institutions.
“To advance these principles, we will give special priority to maximise the use of resources with a special focus on corruption-risk areas and reform internal management to maintain integrity within the commission,” he announced.
A key tactic involves the widespread digitisation and automation of ACC processes using modern technology, which is expected to accelerate investigations and enhance the detection of corrupt practices. To ensure the sustainability of these efforts, a “Maldives Anti-Corruption Trust Fund” has been established.
Concurrently, the ACC is amending its Rules of Investigative Procedure to introduce stricter timelines, requiring investigators to set a completion date at the outset of a case based on its size. This amendment aims to foster a culture of accountability and ensure the timely resolution of investigations.
The strategic plan is organised into five key pillars, including governance and administrative development, strengthening administrative management, fortifying the national integrity system, improving state procurement and SOE governance, and the prevention of political corruption.