Saudi Arabia, 9 October 2025 — Somalia’s Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Hassan Moalim Mahmoud, has called for stronger regional cooperation to combat corruption and recover stolen assets.
Minister Mahmoud made the remarks, Wednesday, during the First Annual General Meeting of the Middle East and North Africa Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network (MENA-ARIN) held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The meeting brought together senior officials from judicial authorities and anti-corruption agencies across the region to discuss collaborative approaches for monitoring and recovering assets lost to corruption.
Minister Mahmoud described the network as a “historic step toward strengthening judicial and justice institutions”, noting that MENA-ARIN reflects a “collective commitment to promoting justice, fighting corruption, and recovering stolen assets.”
“Crimes such as corruption, money laundering, and terrorism financing do not recognize national borders,” Minister Mahmoud said. “No country, regardless of its capabilities, can face them alone.”
He added that the network will support Somalia in enhancing the capacity of relevant institutions to undertake financial investigations, asset recovery, and promote transparency and accountability.
Commenting on the vice, the Minister emphasized that anti-corruption efforts are not only legal obligations but also foundational for state-building and public trust.
He confirmed Somalia’s full participation in the network’s activities and its readiness to share experience and technical expertise.
He also expressed gratitude to the Saudi government for hosting the meeting and to international and regional partners who facilitated the establishment of MENA-ARIN.
“We are confident that today’s meeting marks the starting point for a new and promising path of cooperation that will benefit all our peoples,” Minister Mahmoud added.
MENA-ARIN is a regional network formed to strengthen cooperation and coordination among judicial and law enforcement agencies in the Middle East and North Africa to recover stolen assets, fight corruption, and curb illicit financial flows. Somalia is a member of the network.