Director-General/Executive Director
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
It is my pleasure to address the 21st Global Compact Leaders Summit.
You are coming together at an exciting time, in a year of ambition which is also a year of global anti-corruption action.
Earlier this month, the UN General Assembly held its first-ever special session against corruption.
Countries adopted a political declaration, which includes a clear commitment to ensure that private sector entities are well equipped to conduct business with integrity and transparency.
Now is the time to take this momentum forward.
Governments cannot fight corruption on their own. Private sector companies are the engines of economic growth and the providers of social protection; by honouring the rule of law and operating with integrity, they represent a crucial partner in global efforts against corruption and in building prosperous and fair societies.
A committed private sector is also an essential ally in the fight against cybercrime; and in preventing human trafficking and forced labour in supply chains.
As the guardian of the UN Conventions against Corruption and Transnational Organized Crime, as well as the Global Compact Principle 10, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime is here to support you.
Together with the UN Global Compact, we held a Private Sector Forum alongside the General Assembly special session, bringing together over 130 integrity leaders.
This Summit is a renewed opportunity for you to share strategies for improving integrity in industries and supply chains, driving awareness through training, and using the power of diversity to break down corrupt networks.
In order to better support you in the coming year, UNODC will step up cooperation between the Global Compact Local Networks and our network of offices in 86 countries.
We will also strengthen efforts to include SMEs in anti-corruption responses with an updated series of our Fight Against Corruption e-learning modules, to be launched at the Conference of the States Parties to the UN Convention in December in Egypt.
I hope that you will use the Leaders Summit to make valuable connections across regions and industries, and stand with UNODC against corruption. I look forward to our continued engagement for integrity. Thank you.