UNODC Executive Director
Laxenburg, Austria, 9 November 2012
Your Excellency, Mr. President,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a true pleasure for me to represent the UN today as we mark the beginning of a new stage in the collaboration between the UNODC and the International Anti-Corruption Academy.
As Austria has been a staunch supporter of the Academy from the very beginning, I am delighted that President Fischer is present today to celebrate a further step towards the realization of its aims.
Today, we are pleased to officially welcome the International Anti-Corruption Academy as a new partner in the global fight against corruption
Across the world, corruption erodes the democratic institutions which are the foundation for fair and equitable societies.
Corruption also slows economic development by discouraging foreign investment and inflating costs for local businesses.
As the guardian of the UN Convention against Corruption, UNODC has been at the forefront of global efforts to develop the international legal framework to tackle corruption over the last twenty years.
UNCAC provides the blueprint for international efforts in this area, while also recognizing the central role of education in the fight against corruption.
One important aspect of anti-corruption work, as set out in the Convention, is to use education to increase public awareness of the ways in which this crime impacts on people and their societies.
It is only through the education of the young today that we can raise awareness of the detrimental effects of corruption among the leaders of tomorrow.
Training and education are at the core of the Academy's work as an independent centre of excellence for education in the anti-corruption field.
Although it is still a young institution, IACA has already taken significant steps towards the realization of its institutional and substantive work.
The first Assembly of Parties of the Academy will be held at the end of this month. The Assembly will elect a Board of Governors for the Academy, and provide strategic direction on central issues such as programmes, finances and staffing frameworks.
I would like to recognize the work that the Academy's staff have undertaken to realize this vision; in particular, the tireless efforts of Martin Kreutner, Head of the International Transition Team.
I am pleased to sign this agreement with Mr. Kreutner today and I look forward to continuing UNODC's excellent collaboration with IACA.
Thank you.