Director General/Executive Director
New York, 25 September 2013
Distinguished participants,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Now is the time to make governance and anti-corruption an integral part of global commitments on development.
There has been a growing realization that corruption and lack of good governance pose a major threat to social and economic development, and that they have hindered progress in attaining the MDGs.
The recent report by the Secretary-General on advancing the UN development agenda beyond 2015 acknowledges the importance of "effective governance based on the rule of law and transparent institutions" as an outcome and enabler of development.
Significantly, the report emphasizes that "transparency and accountability are powerful tools for ensuring citizens' involvement in policymaking and their oversight of the use of public resources, including to prevent waste and corruption".
Furthermore, the Secretary-General's report calls for a comprehensive monitoring framework and robust accountability mechanisms.
With respect to good governance and corruption, this entails finding the right indicators. We must be able to identify corruption, to characterize it and to measure it. Only in this way can meaningful goals and targets be defined, agreed and - most importantly - achieved.
To this end, UNODC organized an expert consultation in June on developing a monitoring framework on the Rule of Law and Security.
During their deliberations in the recent Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals, Member States acknowledged the importance of the rule of law and governance. But they also expressed concern about being able to capture these dimensions in an objective measurements framework.
We therefore need to show that we can and do have the tools that States need to promote good governance and integrity, and measure progress towards those goals.
As guardian to the Conventions against Corruption and Transnational Organized Crime, UNODC is well-placed to coordinate an approach to measuring the rule of law, justice and security as they relate to development with our UN partners and civil society.
We can also contribute our recent developments in survey methodology, as well as our extensive experience with providing States with technical assistance and supporting the review of implementation of the UNCAC.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Ten years after the adoption of the UN Convention against Corruption, we have an important chance to ensure that anti-corruption and accountability receive the attention they deserve in the post-2015 development agenda.
Since the UNCAC came into force, we have achieved near universal ratification, with 167 States Parties pledging to combat corruption.
The agreed peer review mechanism under the UNCAC has resulted in some 80 country visits and direct dialogue sessions to date.
UNODC and partners including UNDP and TI have trained more than 1,500 anti-corruption practitioners from some 150 Member States on the Convention and the Review Mechanism.
The UNCAC has gained remarkable momentum, and we have a robust international consensus that was noticeably absent in 2000, when world leaders agreed the MDGs.
This presents us with a unique opportunity.
The world will soon gather at the Fifth Session of the Conference of the States Parties to the UNCAC in Panama City in November, where we can further advance the dialogue on corruption and the post-2015 development agenda.
In Panama City and at the General Assembly here in New York, we must make it clear that accountability and transparency are fundamental building blocks for achieving sustainable development outcomes.
Thank you.