united arab emirates - government defence anti … · · 2015-10-28united arab emirates 2015...
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UnitedArabEmirates2015CountrySummary
CountryRecommendationsTheUAE’sGIrankinginBandEplacesitinthehigh-riskcategoryforcorruptioninthedefenceandsecuritysector.Thecountry’slowestriskareaisPersonnel,whereitscoredsecondhighestintheregion,followedbyOperations.UAE’shighestriskareaisFinance.Toreducecorruptionriskandbuildintegrity,securitysectorreformsareurgentlyneededacrossthefollowingareas:Increasedtransparencyandscrutinyinprocurementandbudgeting
• TheUAEhasnodefinedprocessforacquisitionplanning–theprocessthroughwhichthestateidentifieswhatarmsitwillbuy–andallEmiratimilitaryprocurementisexemptedfrompublictender,withevidenceindicatingthatmostcontractsaresingle-sourced.Toincreaseaccountabilityandcompetitionfordefenceprocurement,werecommendthatthegovernmentamendlegislationtoestablishaprincipleofopencompetition,withclausestospecificallyaddresscorruptionrisksandnarrowlydefinecasesofsinglesourceprocurement.Exemptedorsinglesourceditemsshouldincludeprovisionsforotherformsofindependentscrutiny.
• InformationonmilitaryprocurementisnotsharedwiththeFederalNationalCouncil(FNC),ortheCommitteeforInternalAffairsandDefence,neitherofwhichispermittedtoscrutinisedefencepurchases.WhilethereisaStateAuditBody,itdoesnotpubliclyreleaseitsfindings.Toincreasetheindependenceandactivityofprocurementoversightmechanisms,StateAuditreportsshouldbepublishedandtheFNCgiventhepowertoscrutinisedefencepurchases.
• ItisunclearifthereisanactiveauditfunctionintheMoD.Anindependentinternalauditfunctionwithsufficientresources,trainingandindependencecouldhelpensurethatthebudgetisspentonarmsandequipmentthatactuallymeetUAE’sstrategicneeds.Werecommendthatbothinternalandexternalauditfindingsbeacteduponbyarelevantenforcementbodytomaintainpublictrustinthedefencesector.Furthermore,since2012theStateAuditBodyhasbeenpreparingadraftAnti-CorruptionLaw,thisshouldbeenactedwithoutfurtherdelay.
• TheUAEreleasesnodetailsondefencespending.Toallowforeffectivecivilianandparliamentaryscrutiny,thegovernmentshouldpublishadefencebudgetthatincludesdetailedinformationonexpenditureacrossfunctionsincludingresearch&design,training,salaries,acquisitions,disposalofassets,maintenanceandpersonnelexpenditures.
• TheEmiratigovernmentdoesimposelegalrestrictionsontheuseofagentsandintermediariesindefencecontractshoweveritisnotclearifthislawissubjecttoanyoversighttoensurethatitisnotcircumvented.TheEmiratigovernmentimposesno
anti-corruptionrequirementsincontractswithsuppliers.Tomitigatecorruptionrisksconnectedtosuppliers,agents,andintermediaries,werecommendthatenactedprocurementlegislationshouldmandatewhatanti-corruptionproceduresandstandardspotentialsuppliersarerequiredtodemonstrate-suchascomplianceprogrammesandbusinessconductprogrammes-inordertobeabletobidforwork.Thesecontrolsshouldbepublicandwellknowntopotentialsuppliers.
Transparencyandopennesstowardscivilsociety
• UAEplacesrestrictionsonfreedomofassemblyandassociationandhasavarietyoflegalmeasurestoinhibittheactivitiesofcivilsocieties,whichithasusedinrecentyears,includingsanctionsorreplacingtheboardmembersofNGOSthatcriticisetheauthorities.
• TheserestrictionsshouldbeliftedandtheUAEgovernmentshouldallowaspaceinwhichcivilsocietycanoperatefreelyandassistinformulatingpoliciestoenhancetransparencyandbuildintegrityinthedefencesector.Thiswouldsendastrongsignalthatthedefencesectoristheretodefendthestateandservetheneedsofthegeneralpopulation.
• UnlikeSaudiArabia,Jordan,TunisiaandIraq,theUAEgovernmentdidnotcompleteagovernmentreviewofthe2015GIresearch.Weurgethegovernmenttotakepartinthisdialogueduringthenextreview.
Scorecard
Political Defence&SecurityPolicy LegislativeScrutiny 0DefenceCommittee 1DefencePolicyDebated 1CSOEngagement 0InternationalACInstruments 2PublicDebate 1ACPolicy 1ACInstitutions 2PublicTrust 3RiskAssessments 0
Defencebudgets AcquisitionPlanning 0BudgetTransparency&Detail 0BudgetScrutiny 0BudgetPubliclyAvailable 0DefenceIncome 0InternalAudit 0ExternalAudit 1
OtherPoliticalAreas NaturalResources 0OrganisedCrimeLinks 3OrganisedCrimePolicing 1IntelligenceServicesOversight 0IntelligenceServicesRecruitment 1ExportControls 1
Finance AssetDisposals AssetDisposalControls 1
AssetDisposalScrutiny 0
SecretBudgets PercentageSecretSpending 0LegislativeAccesstoInformation 0SecretProgramAuditing 1Off-budgetSpendinginLaw 0Off-budgetSpendinginPractice 1InformationClassification 0
LinkstoBusiness Mil.OwnedBusinessesExist 2Mil.OwnedBusinessScrutiny 0UnauthorisedPrivateEnterprise 1
Personnel Leadership PublicCommitment 0MeasuresforCorruptPersonnel 2Whistleblowing 0SpecialAttentiontoSensitivePersonnel 0
PayrollandRecruitment NumbersofPersonnelKnown 0PayRatesOpenlyPublished 3Well-establishedPaymentSystem 4ObjectiveAppointments 2ObjectivePromotions 2
Conscription BriberytoAvoidCompulsoryConscription 1BriberyforPreferredPostings 1
SalaryChain GhostSoldiers 3ChainsofCommandandPayment 4
Values,Standards,Other CodeofConductCoverage 2CodeofConductBreachesAddressed 2ACTraining 0ProsecutionOutcomesTransparent 1FacilitationPayments 2
Operations ControlsintheField MilitaryDoctrine 0OperationalTraining 0ACMonitoring 1ControlsonContracting 1PrivateMilitaryContractors 3
Procurement GovernmentPolicy Legislation 1TransparentProcurementCycle 1OversightMechanisms 1PurchasesDisclosed 1StandardsExpectedofCompanies 0
CapabilityGap StrategyDrivesRequirements 0RequirementsQuantified 1
Tendering OpenCompetitionv.Single-Sourcing 0TenderBoardControls 0Anti-CollusionControls 0
ContractDelivery/Support ProcurementStaffTraining 0ComplaintMechanismsforFirms 1SanctionsforCorruption 2
Offsets DueDiligence 1Transparency 1CompetitionRegulation 3
Other ControlsofAgents 3TransparencyofFinancingPackages 0Subsidiaries/Sub-Contractors 0PoliticalInfluence 1