Director-General/Executive Director
Director-General Cai,
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is my pleasure to join you today at this special event on Belt and Road Integrity Building.
I want to thank the National Commission of Supervision of China for inviting me to speak to you, and for their commitment to the UN Convention against Corruption.
Last October, I had the honour of addressing the opening of the Thematic Forum on Clean Silk Road at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, where we discussed the importance of protecting the Belt and Road Initiative from corruption, and I am very glad to see the Government of China following up on those discussions here at the Conference of States Parties.
Excellencies,
Since its launch, the BRI is estimated to have generated more than 1 trillion dollars of investments globally.
Such massive investments create jobs and drive economic growth, but they also give rise to huge risks of corruption, of billions wasted or diverted, of compromised efficiency and sustainability.
The scope of the BRI’s ambition, and the scale of the resources deployed, make it necessary to prevent and counter corruption at every step.
A clean silk road means a pathway towards real and significant progress for the Sustainable Development Goals, with people lifted out of poverty and economies reinvigorated along the way.
Transparency and accountability are necessary tools to pave that pathway forward, and the UN Convention against Corruption is the toolbox.
The UNCAC provides a comprehensive framework to prevent and fight corruption in both public and private sectors, including in foreign direct investment and large-scale international investment projects.
UNCAC implementation can help realize the full potential of the BRI and its contribution to the world.
Distinguished participants,
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime, as the guardian of the UNCAC, is building capacities, developing knowledge products, and disseminating best practices to support you on your journey.
UNODC enjoys a strong partnership with China, a partnership that is already contributing to building integrity in the Belt and Road Initiative.
Under this partnership, UNODC implemented a project on supporting the implementation of UNCAC in Countries along the Silk Road Economic Belt, from 2020 to 2022.
The project benefitted more than 300 anti-corruption practitioners, raising awareness about the risks of corruption in large-scale international investment projects, and promoting action based on good practices.
It also established a trailblazing network, the first of its kind, bringing together anti-corruption officials from 16 countries across the Silk Road Economic Belt, and the network is still going strong.
UNODC stands ready to continue and step up those efforts, in partnership with China.
Excellencies,
This tenth Conference of States Parties is an excellent opportunity to reinforce anti-corruption practices and partnerships for the BRI.
At this session of the CoSP, Parties are discussing draft resolutions on combating corruption in public procurement and managing public finances, as well as anti-corruption measures in the private sector, all of which will provide important guidance if adopted.
This week, I had the pleasure of addressing the first ever Private Sector Forum to be convened at the UNCAC CoSP.
Business leaders at this CoSP session are promoting a call to action from businesses to governments advocating for strong anti-corruption measures, which already has more than 500 signatory companies.
Also at this session, UNODC is presenting highly relevant new publications.
One of those publications, titled ‘Towards Building a Road of Integrity’, is specifically focused on the Belt and Road Initiative, providing guidance on risk management as well as integrity in supply chains.
Another publication is focused on promoting integrity through the different phases of international investment projects.
I encourage you to make good use of these resources.
I also encourage you to seek avenues for enhancing cooperation, both formal and informal, across borders as well as at the national level between relevant domestic authorities, to leave no gap for corruption.
And I encourage you to ensure channels for successful investigation, prosecution, and adjudication of fraud and corruption in investment projects.
I also want to underline the importance of working across sectors and with all relevant stakeholders against corruption in the BRI, and I am pleased to see today’s event include representatives of government, the private sector, the banking sector, and academia.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The Belt and Road Initiative charts a road towards a more equitable and prosperous world for all.
It is a road worth safeguarding from corruption.
As the Secretary-General said, “the United Nations system stands ready to travel this road with you.”
Thank you.