Attorney General attends first annual meeting of MENA-ARIN
Jeddah, Oct. 9 (BNA): Dr. Ali bin Fadhel Al Buainain, the Attorney General, headed the Kingdom of Bahrain's delegation to the first annual general meeting of the Middle East and North Africa Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network (MENA-ARIN), held in Jeddah on October 8-9. The meeting was held under the patronage of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha), the network’s permanent secretariat.
This inaugural meeting marked the official launch of MENA-ARIN, aimed at enhancing cooperation in the effective recovery of illicit assets across the region. Bahrain's delegation included representatives from the Public Prosecution, Ministry of Interior via the Financial Intelligence National Centre (FINC) and Anti-Corruption Crime Department, and the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments.
The network seeks to develop cooperation mechanisms among member states to identify, trace, freeze, and recover illicit assets, while fully complying with national and international laws and standards. It facilitates cooperation by establishing effective contact points, secure and reliable information exchange technologies, capacity building in asset recovery and management, harmonisation of legal frameworks, and collaboration with financial institutions and the private sector to detect illicit financial activities. It also aims to strengthen partnerships with international organisations and similar regional networks.
The Attorney General emphasised Bahrain’s advanced and responsive national cooperation system and institutions that promptly handle mutual assistance requests. To support this system, he referenced the Public Prosecutor’s guideline for asset recovery and confiscation requests, and a risk document outlining indicators of money laundering and terrorist financing to ensure early detection and recovery of illicit funds. He expressed confidence that MENA-ARIN will unify national strategies and enhance ongoing communication across states.
The meeting addressed challenges to cooperation in asset recovery and reviewed regional achievements. Participants exchanged views on the network's future role in fostering international cooperation and improving recovery mechanisms. The meeting adopted a statement of intent establishing the network to reinforce collective work, transparency, and cooperation efforts, as well as a charter outlining governance principles, responsibilities, and operational procedures.
On the sidelines, Dr. Al Buainain met Mazin bin Ibrahim Al Kahmous, President of Nazaha, to discuss enhancing joint cooperation on integrity protection and combating cross-border financial crimes, among other shared interests.
