FOCUS AREAS - PUBLIC PROCUREMENT

Public procurement is repeatedly reported as the largest single area of corruption in countries participating the regional platforms. Most of the regional platforms have identified public procurement as one of the priorities for the project.

Countries are asked to strengthen their capacity to prevent conflicts of interest in public procurement processes as well as to investigate and prosecute corruption cases related to procurement.

A prerequisite for effective capacity building in investigations and prosecution is to identify the key current corruption risks in the public procurement systems and develop strategies to mitigate these risks. This, of course, is also a prerequisite in having strong procurement legislation in line with the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC).

The key recommendations that have been identified are: establishing interagency fora to ensure a focus on addressing procurement corruption and the combination of complementary skills from different agencies; producing and disseminating guidance on identifying procurement corruption (red flags) and capacity-building in assessing and mitigating corruption risks.

Increased importance of anti-corruption in public procurement in time of COVID19:

In response to the global health crisis, Member States, including countries participating in the regional platforms, have taken a broad range of measures to contain and mitigate the spread of the virus. To avoid a global economic collapse and to provide citizens with the necessary medical supplies, countries have established various emergency measures, including emergency procurement processes that ensure the rapid deployment of the necessary financial and economic support to citizens and businesses in distress. But, by taking such measures, States have ended up relaxing corruption safeguards by trading compliance, oversight and accountability for speed and the achievement of rapid impact, leading to the creation of significant opportunities for corruption to thrive.

UNODC has therefore offered support to all countries involved in the regional platforms, to strengthen their procurement systems, increase transparency and accountability as well as to establish the appropriate framework for emergency procurement processes.

United Nations

Office on Drugs and Crime

FOCUS AREAS - PUBLIC PROCUREMENT

FOCUS AREAS

WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION

PUBLIC PROCUREMENT

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

PUBLIC SECTOR INTEGRITY

FINANCIAL INVESTIGATIONS

COVID-19 and Corruption