The law establishing the National Anti-Corruption Institution (NACI) was enacted in May 2020, however, the appointment of all six members of NACI took place in January 2022.

The NACI is a very important institutional cornerstone of fighting corruption in Lebanon. It is designed to be politically, financially and administratively independent of the executive, legislative, and judiciary branches, to the maximum extents possible. Its board is composed of six members, who are appointed by the Council of Ministers for a period of six years from a pool of persons nominated by multiple independent authorities. The NACI cannot be dismissed, its members enjoy multiple immunities, and they cannot be re-appointed at the end of their tenure. Additionally, the Institution’s Board is assisted by has its own administrative unit to support its operations.

The National Anti-Corruption Institution enjoys a host of prerogatives in the following areas:

• Receiving corruption complaints, ensuring secrecy, protecting whistleblowers, and deciding on financial rewards.
• Inquiring about and investigating corruption-induced crimes, despite the position of the involved officials. It also has the authority to lift banking secrecy and delegate the judiciary to lead on the investigations.
• Receiving and scrutinizing the assets and interests’ declaration it receives from politicians and public employees. It also has the authority to instigate prosecutions in case of illicit enrichment crimes.
• Raising awareness about corruption, and suggesting laws and policies to prevent it. It also cooperates with stakeholders from both the public and private sectors and the civil society, nationally and internationally.

It is of great importance, that the government allocates human and financial resources necessary for the Institution to start its work without delay. Lastly, everyone must support and cooperate with the Institution, and the latter must commit to informing citizens by reporting regularly on its findings.

For more information about the National Anti-Corruption Institution law, you may access relevant resources by clicking the links below:

NACI Law No175-2020

For more on Anti-Corruption