The President of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Uz. Adam Shamil, attended and addressed the First Annual General Meeting of the Middle East and North Africa Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network (MENA-ARIN), held in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from October 8–9, 2025.

Hosted by the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) of Saudi Arabia, the meeting gathered representatives from MENA-FATF member states, international organizations, and regional asset recovery networks to strengthen cooperation in the fight against corruption.

In his address, President Uz. Adam Shamil expressed gratitude to Nazaha and the MENA-ARIN Secretariat for their invitation and hospitality, commending the establishment of the network as an important step toward enhancing regional and international collaboration in asset recovery.

Representing the Maldives, Uz. Shamil reaffirmed the country’s commitment to integrity, accountability, and transparency, noting that while geographically distant from the MENA region, the Maldives shares its partners’ vision of strengthening anti-corruption systems.

He highlighted key reforms undertaken by the Maldives to reinforce its asset recovery framework in line with the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). These include a 2022 national study on asset recovery, a National Asset Recovery Roadmap, and the submission of an Asset Recovery Model Law (2025) to the government.

“Our sacred objective is clear — to ensure that corruption offenders lose illicit gains, regardless of conviction status,” Uz. Shamil stated, emphasizing the Maldives’ commitment to establishing a fully functional asset recovery regime.

He also stressed the value of MENA-ARIN as a platform for sharing expertise and fostering cross-border cooperation.

The Uz. Shamil concluded by reaffirming the Maldives’ dedication to advancing asset recovery and integrity through international partnerships, congratulating MENA-ARIN on its successful inaugural meeting.