Minister of Finance Ibrahim Ameer has stated the Maldives remains steadfast in implementing the United Nations Convention against Corruption. Minister Ameer also highlighted the challenges faced by small island developing states such as the Maldives in eliminating corruption, in his statement at the United Nations General Assembly's Special Session Against Corruption.
The finance minister said the Maldives has made strides in its development to obtain the status of an upper-middle-income country and efforts to reduce poverty levels. However, he said the country is experiencing a widening income disparity which is partly attributed to corruption affecting income distribution, utilisation of aid funds, and influence in public expenditure.
Minister Ameer said President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih launched the zero tolerance to corruption campaign to combat corruption at the national level, under which numerous measures were taken to increase transparency and to amend laws and regulations that facilitated corruption and exploitation of state resources.
Furthermore, the minister said the Presidential Commission on Corruption and State Asset Recovery is committed to recovering state assets and ensuring that all legal duties in investigating corruption and abuse of power within state and government institutions are carried out. A whistleblower portal has also been established to facilitate anonymous submission of complaints and documents and to communicate with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), added the minister.
Concluding his speech, Minister Ameer noted the current government's reforms and efforts have resulted in the Maldives improving to the 75th rank from the 135th rank in the Corruption Perception Index in 2020.