Saudi Arabia launches office to continue fight against corruption
Saudi Arabia has launched an office to monitor state spending, saying it would help keep up the fight against corruption after the closing of a 15-month crackdown, state media reported.
The financial reporting office will be part of the state's General Auditing Bureau, public prosecutor Saud al-Mojeb was quoted as saying on Monday by state news agency SPA, Reuters reported.
"Corruption is not restricted to a specific company or government sector. The concerned authorities will be monitoring," he said.
King Salman underlined during a cabinet meeting in Riyadh that Saudi will continue along its path to protect integrity and combat and eliminate corruption. He stated that the audit agencies must bolster their roles to ensure that public funds are protected and preserved.
Last week, Saudi Arabia announced the end of a high-profile anti-corruption probe that boosted the state coffers by more than $100bn and has left dozens detained.
The anti-graft sweep led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been labelled by some critics as a shakedown and power grab, but authorities have insisted the purge targeted endemic corruption.
