Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has affirmed the state’s adherence to the principle of the rule of law and rejection of all forms of corruption, marking international anti-corruption day on 9 December, the presidency said.

El-Sisi also affirmed the Egyptian leadership’s and people’s devotion to “establish the values of integrity and a policy of transparency, so that all people are treated equally before the law, without any exception,” the statement read.

El-Sisi added that “this is the way the state has followed as one of the main pillars of wide governance since the beginning of the path of development for the sake of a better future for our dear homeland, Egypt”.

The president has hailed ongoing efforts made by the relevant state institutions to implement the national strategy to combat corruption, urging them to exert further efforts to protect national resources and people.

Sisi’s remarks come as the Administrative Control Authority (ACA) — Egypt’s highest anti-graft authority— celebrated international anti-corruption day. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, as well as many ministers, ambassadors, and heads of Arab and international organisations were in attendance.

ACA head Hassan Abdel-Shafy has warned against the international phenomenon of corruption, saying it leads to destabilising communities and threatens sustainable development and human rights.

Abdel-Shafy has been named as the chief of the ACA late in August.

The ACA, the state body responsible for enforcing laws and regulations within state bodies, has been waging a national campaign against corruption in recent years, including arresting many officials on bribery charges.