United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Central America and the Caribbean

Grenada Initiates the Mechanism for the Review of Implementation of the UNCAC

On April 1st 2015, Grenada confirmed its accession to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), joining the 175 States Parties that have taken the firm commitment to undertake efforts to prevent and fight this transnational phenomenon that affects both democracy and sustainable development.

In order to welcome Grenada and initiate the Mechanism for the Review of the Implementation of the UNCAC in their legislation, the Regional Office of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for Central America and the Caribbean (UNODC ROPAN), together with the Regional Anti-Corruption Academy for Central America and the Caribbean (ARAC) held a workshop in Saint-George, on July 27 and 28, 2015.

The event included a general review of the UNCAC and a presentation on the Mechanism for the Review of Implementation of this instrument. Then, participants were assisted to perform the self-assessment of their country, studying and comparing domestic law with the provisions of the UNCAC in order to discover good practices and possible legal vacuums.

Various articles of UNCAC's Chapter III and IV were discussed in line with the legislation of Grenada, thus starting the first phase of the Mechanism for the Review of Implementation, which will involve South Sudan and St. Lucia as evaluators.

In this regard, Hon. Elvin Nimrod, Deputy Prime Minister; Mr. Robert Branch, Legal Adviser of the Ministry of Legal Affairs and Mrs. Virginia de Abajo-Marqués, held a press conference in which they informed the nation about the historic moment that Granada is going through in its fight against corruption.

Representatives from various government institutions, private sector, academia and civil society were trained by Mrs. Virginia de Abajo-Marqués, UNODC Regional Advisor Anti-Corruption and Ms. Cristina Ritter, representing the ARAC.