Introduzione
President Al Amimi, esteemed colleagues,
It is a true honor to participate to this remarkable initiative in times of great worries.
As we all know, the devastating impact of corruption on economic growth worsens during emergency situations.
The Covid-19 pandemic hits all economies globally, increasing, at the same time, corruption risks. The health sector is particularly exposed to corruption because of the immediate need for medical supplies (and hence simplification of procurement rules). Bribery in the health care sector makes medical services more expensive and less accessible
by the more vulnerable populations. Conflicts of interest may arise around contracts and funding for research on vaccines, clinical trial of drugs and pharmaceuticals. Corrupt practices may affect the public and the private sectors, and be related to the procurement system, bribery in medical-related services, corruption in new product research
and development and fraud related to the marketing of counterfeit medical products, among others risks.
At the same time, the mobilization of massive resource to respond to the health and economic crises creates opportunities for corruption and fraud, in times when many corruption prevention and enforcement mechanisms are suspended due to the emergency.
