Vienna, 13 January 2025 – Corruption continues to be a major obstacle to economic growth, stability and development worldwide. It erodes public trust, deters both domestic and foreign investment and diverts critical resources away from development priorities, ultimately hindering societal progress.
The Indo-Pacific region is no exception. Given the region’s diversity and dynamic economic landscape, the need and urgency to implement robust anti-corruption strategies cannot be overstated. The principles of transparency, accountability and integrity are fundamental to building resilient, inclusive and equitable economies. To achieve lasting prosperity, it is imperative to confront corruption head-on, fostering a climate of trust and fairness that drives sustainable growth and shared success.
Robust anti-corruption measures and greater transparency reduce uncertainty and foster trade and investment. They encourage long-term economic growth by enabling businesses and investors to make informed decisions.
Countries with clear regulations, low corruption levels and consistent policies often emerge as thriving trade and investment hubs. These environments attract foreign direct investment, drive innovation and create a competitive edge in the global market. By ensuring fairness and minimizing disputes, such conditions establish stability that benefits both domestic economies and international partners. This, in turn, catalyzes sustainable development and fosters deeper global economic integration, ensuring that prosperity is both inclusive and sustainable.
The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) was launched in 2022 by the United States of America together with13 partner countries, namely Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam, to “create stronger, fairer, more resilient economy for families, workers and businesses”.
The 14 IPEF partner countries represent 40 percent of global GDP and 28 percent of global goods and services trade, making the task of tackling corruption a critical priority for ensuring fair competition, fostering sustainable economic growth and enhancing trust among international investors and stakeholders.
Pillar IV of IPEF, known as the Fair Economy Pillar, focuses on anti-corruption, tax, capacity-building and innovation, cooperation, inclusive collaboration, and transparency. Under this Pillar, partner countries strive to effectively implement and accelerate progress on the implementation of the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). As part of Pillar IV, the Fair Economy Agreement – which entered into force in October 2024 – focuses on anti-corruption measures and taxation initiatives to boost commerce and support fair economy environment, with Fiji, Malaysia, New Zealand, Thailand and the United States of America as current signatories.
IPEF partner countries face diverse challenges and limitations in preventing and addressing corruption, shaped by their unique legal, normative and socio-political frameworks. The implementation of UNCAC and progress in addressing the recommendations under its UNCAC Implementation Review Mechanism has not been uniform across the 14 IPEF countries. Despite the differences, common gaps and challenges persist, underscoring the need for a coordinated and strategic response.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) plays a pivotal role in helping IPEF partner countries meet their commitments under Pillar IV. As the guardian of UNCAC, UNODC is uniquely positioned to provide technical assistance, strengthen institutional capacity and promote cooperation among States to address these challenges.
To foster IPEF partner countries’ capacity in key anti-corruption areas, such as foreign bribery, public procurement and asset recovery, UNODC has trained over 170 anti-corruption officials. These technical discussions have allowed participants to identify common gaps, align priorities, share best practices and collaboratively shape the next steps for consideration under IPEF Pillar IV.
Mr. Tran Dang Vinh, Director General, Legal Department, Government Inspectorate of Viet Nam, underscored the importance of these trainings, saying: “Throughout this event, we have had a great opportunity to share and learn about asset recovery related topics from practitioners in IPEF countries and international organizations. If asset recovery is considered essential in the global fight against corruption, this workshop helped us check which weapons we have, and which weapons other countries have but we are still lacking, and what we need to do in the coming time to enhance the asset recovery framework in Viet Nam”.
Through these efforts, UNODC is empowering IPEF partners to strengthen their anti-corruption measures, build a more transparent and accountable future, and contribute to global anti-corruption efforts.
In November 2024, UNODC launched a new partnership with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to strengthen anti-corruption efforts among IPEF partners. This collaboration focuses on advancing the implementation of UNCAC by mapping progress, delivering targeted capacity-building and engaging non-State actors to foster transparency and accountability.
By addressing region-specific challenges, this partnership aims to accelerate the achievement of IPEF’s Pillar IV objectives, reinforcing fair and equitable economies across the Indo-Pacific.
This work is possible thanks to the support of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) within the United States Department of State.
UNODC, 2024
This study aims to provide a broad overview and high-level analysis of three areas for enhanced cooperation in the fight against corruption in IPEF partners, with a focus on the implementation of relevant UNCAC articles.