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Master Conference "Integrity and Internal Control in Public Institutions" in Guatemala

Guatemala December 8, 2020. Within the framework of the International Day against Corruption and in coordination with the Public Ministry of Guatemala, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for Central America and the Caribbean (UNODC ROPAN) held the master conference "Integrity and internal control in public institutions".

The master conference was chaired by the Attorney General of the Republic and Head of the Public Ministry, Consuelo Porras, who thanked UNODC for the specialized technical support provided by its delegates in the country and highlighted Guatemala's commitment to prevent and combat corruption, adding that "corruption has implications for all countries at the social, political and economic level and, therefore, affects security and democratic strengthening ... So, as institutions, we must commit ourselves so that, from our own competencies, we can succeed in countering corruption at all levels.

Miwa Kato, Director of Operations of UNODC, also took part in the virtual event, and highlighted that "Member States are facing difficult decisions on how to effectively address the public health emergency and at the same time avoid a global economic collapse...in the midst of the pandemic, we recall that transparency, integrity and accountability play an important role in effectively combating the COVID-19 pandemic".

The Secretary against Corruption of the Public Ministry, José Estuardo López y López, expressed that "there have been intra- and inter-institutional efforts, aimed at reducing the commission of internal malpractices related to the crime of corruption. This is done with the conviction that this crime represents a threat to the stability, security and development of the Guatemalan population, which is why we intend to raise awareness and disseminate the efforts that the Public Prosecutor is making to prevent and eradicate corruption".

The conference was given by international expert Giovanna Vega Hercules, who, over the past ten years, has dedicated much of her professional and academic performance to the study of corruption as a social phenomenon and to the teaching and promotion of ethical values, both in the public and private sectors.

The event was attended by 110 public officials from the Public Prosecutor's Office and around 200 people from civil society gathered through the different digital platforms through which it was transmitted.