The Abu Dhabi Accountability Authority, ADAA, today announced the launch of a digital 'Violation Reporting Platform' that will enable the reporting of suspicious financial and administrative violations across government entities.

According to a statement by the Authority, the newly launched digital platform will enhance Abu Dhabi's competitiveness and further establish investor confidence in its business environment. The launch of the platform, the statement added, is in line with the directives of the UAE leadership to attain the highest strandards of transparency, and to support the implementation of leading governance practices in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

The Violation Reporting Platform was launched on International Anti-Corruption Day, which is marked annually on 9th December, as a bid to highlight the ADAA's commitment to strengthen public administration activities, and to continuously develop and evolve transparency standards.

"The platform is available to businesses and individuals through a link prominently and visibly displayed on the websites of the government entities subject to the implementation thus far," the ADAA statement explained.

These entities receive the cases reported that are then promptly forwarded to a dedicated team in the concerned department or government entity who would examine these cases, assess their relevance, and consequently follow a due course of action to ensure that the appropriate and necessary administrative and legal actions, as applicable, are undertaken.

Teams within these government entities will also assess internal procedures and controls to identify the gaps, if any, and recommend the controls to prevent future recurrences.

ADAA will monitor financial and administrative violations, and ensure that they are addressed and acted upon by the authorised party within the department or government entity, and in line with approved policies. The cases will be handled with the utmost confidentiality to preserve the anonymity of the complainant, noting that it is possible to submit the cases in both Arabic and English.

Commenting on the announcement, Hamad Al Hurr Al Suwaidi, ADAA Chairman, said that the platform is an additional tool that reiterates the Abu Dhabi Government’s commitment to enhance transparency, accountability and integrity in the use of government resources to serve the emirate.

Al Suwaidi added, "The launch of the new platform which was developed after thorough benchmarks and analyses of global leading practices in terms of cases reported, will provide an efficient and integrated system that will expedite the process of handling and managing these cases quickly and efficiently, and will support the definition of the necessary means to prevent the recurrence of similar actions in the future."

"This initiative enhances the role of the stakeholders of government entities and encourages the community and the public at large to help monitor and report any suspicions of financial or administrative violations, whether related to the employees of those entities or its practices, in adherence with ADAA’s commitment to adopt best practices in governance and transparency, thus contributing to a competitive business framework that would increase investor confidence and society as a whole," he continued.

At present some 17 government entities in Abu Dhabi have implemented the Violation Reporting Platform.

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