DOHA: Attorney-General Ali bin Fetais Al Marri yesterday said some Arab Spring countries were not cooperating in getting their looted wealth back from overseas where it is stashed away.
He said hundreds of millions of dollars have been returned to these countries and billions remain frozen. Some properties have been seized.
Some Arab Spring countries have sent letters to heads of state or prime ministers of countries where the looted wealth is, urging them to help return the money.
“Actually, that’s not the proper procedure,” Al Marri told reporters on the sidelines of a seminar on ‘The role of UN in conflict zones’.
Al Marri is UN Special Advocate for Stolen Assets Recovery and Head of ‘Rule of Law and Fight Against Corruption Centre’ opened here in 2012 in collaboration with the United Nations. Qatar donated $10m for the purpose.
The centre helped Arab Spring countries and some assets were recovered and lawyers, prosecutors and judicial officials from these countries were trained in recovering the money and cooperation with these countries in this regard continues.
Yuri Fedotov, Executive Director, UN Office on Drug and Crime, told the seminar that member states have repeatedly recognised the crimes of terrorism and drugs that undermine development.
“And we ask the countries to translate good intentions into field work,” Fedotov said.
Later, talking to reporters, Al Marri evaded questions on the expected sponsorship law change and said Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani has the right experience to tackle the issue.
Earlier, for the centre, Al Marri signed an agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to train judges, lawyers and prosecutors in Africa to promote combating corruption. The Peninsula
