Port-au-Prince, February 22, 2024. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with the School of Magistracy (EMA), conducted a comprehensive training on anti-corruption addressed to 20 magistrates from February 20th to 22nd.
Recognizing the pivotal role of judicial officials in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of corruption-related crimes, the training sought to empower them with both a robust theoretical foundation and essential practical skills crucial for the stringent application of laws. The magistrates' awareness of the social and economic impacts of corruption reinforces their dedication to their public service mission, fostering heightened professional and ethical awareness. This, in turn, urges them to act with integrity and diligence in the ongoing battle against corruption—a mission particularly challenging in contexts where corruption may be deeply ingrained in the social and economic fabric.
Key topics covered during the training included:
- United Nations Convention against Corruption and its review mechanism in Haiti
- In-depth understanding of the notion of corruption: Examining corruption through different normative lenses (morality, ethics, deontology, and law)
- Legal bases of incrimination, prevention, and repression of corruption (sources of law, including the constitution, legislation, and regulations, especially those derived from international conventions)
- The role of political, administrative, and judicial institutions in the prevention and fight against corruption
- Deepening knowledge of different types of related offenses
Corruption in Haiti perpetuates impunity for crimes committed, undermining the judicial services responsible for repressing such offenses.
As the guardian of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), the UNODC plays a pivotal role in the global fight against corruption, supporting Member States through the UNCAC review mechanism. This facilitates the identification of weaknesses and supports technical assistance initiatives to enhance their ability to prevent and combat corruption effectively in accordance with the UNCAC.
Maguy Florestal, Magistrate Director of Studies at the School of Magistracy, expressed, "In this training, we had the opportunity to analyze national and international legislation on corruption, identify the stakes and the basis of the fight against corruption, and acquire new investigative techniques in this field."
Florestal extended gratitude, stating, "The Ecole de la Magistrature would like to thank the trainers, the UNDP, the UNODC, and the Canadian government for providing invaluable support in building the capacity of Haitian judicial personnel and supervising our national technical and professional training institutions." She emphasized the importance of continued cooperation to eradicate the scourge that undermines the nation, decomposes the social fabric, and disintegrates the institutions of the State.
This training was made possible through the support of the government of Canada and the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), the latter implemented jointly with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the UNDP.
