Director-General/Executive Director
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I am deeply honoured to join you today in celebrating the remarkable 20th anniversary of the UN Convention against Corruption – the UNCAC.
Here in New York, at the heart of the United Nations system, we have a unique opportunity to reflect on the transformative journey that the Convention has set in motion over the past two decades, and the path that lies ahead.
As we face great geopolitical divides and a world in disarray, its adoption serves as a potent reminder that the spirit of multilateralism can unite us in our pursuit of a world free from corruption.
A world where integrity, accountability, and transparency prevail over greed, inequality, and poverty.
And I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Barbados, represented here today, which recently became the 190th party to the Convention, bringing us another step closer to universal adherence.
Excellencies,
As we look back on the progress achieved over the last two decades, we must also reaffirm the pivotal role of the UNCAC as an instrument to drive forward Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Special Session of the UN General Assembly against Corruption in 2021 underlined the need to incorporate anti-corruption efforts within the broader sustainable development agenda.
This year, at the SDG Summit, world leaders took another decisive step forward by adopting a declaration calling for accelerated action towards achieving the Global Goals, including through the effective implementation of the UNCAC’s obligations to prevent and combat corruption.
Corruption creates critical roadblocks to achieving the SDGs, obstructing economic growth, deepening inequality, and stifling prosperity.
Its detrimental impact is hardest on the vulnerable, the disadvantaged, and the underrepresented, often creating barriers for them to access essential needs and services.
Data from the SDG 16 report recently published by UNODC, UNDP and OHCHR revealed the prevalence of bribery globally, with 20 per cent of people having to pay bribes to access public services, and with low-income countries experiencing its effects at five times the rate of their high-income counterparts.
When corruption seeps into the foundations of society, its impact undermines the rule of law and good governance.
And once trust in public institutions falters, it quickly leads to disillusionment, frustration, and alienation, especially among the younger segments of society.
Such environments can become fertile ground for conflict and terrorism, while perpetuating a cycle of impunity and lawlessness that organized criminal groups are quick to exploit.
The Security Council’s recognition of the link between corruption and conflict for the first time in 2018 underscored that corruption flourishes amidst the rubble of conflict.
And even when the guns have fallen silent, corruption impedes post-conflict recovery and reconstruction efforts.
To rebuild societies shattered by conflict, we must rebuild with integrity, accountability, and transparency, to ensure lasting and sustainable peace.
The UNCAC can serve as a powerful instrument for peace in the years ahead, and UNODC is actively engaged in several initiatives across the globe.
In Ukraine, our support seeks to align legislative reforms with international standards, including through our Stolen Asset Recovery initiative – StAR – in partnership with the World Bank, to support initiatives to safeguard reconstruction efforts from corruption and to recover stolen assets.
In Haiti, we are collaborating with the Organization of American States to bolster the country’s capacities to investigate cases of corruption, combat money laundering, and improve information sharing on transnational organized crime.
We are also collaborating with DPO and DPPA to develop a new guidance tool for practitioners to mainstream integrity in conflict zones, as part of a joint endeavour to integrate anti-corruption measures into UN peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts.
By engaging anti-corruption experts and advisors on the ground, we can establish stronger foundations for a lasting peace.
Alongside this, we continue to support States Parties in fast-tracking implementation of the UNCAC at large.
Since 2010, the UNCAC Implementation Review Mechanism has been critical in identifying 9,000 gaps in legislative and institutional frameworks and 4,000 technical assistance needs.
To address these needs, UNODC has established 8 regional platforms to identify and remedy implementation gaps, with our most recent platform opened in the Caribbean.
Last year alone, we trained over 10,000 anti-corruption practitioners in 44 countries.
We have also created a network of 5 regional anti-corruption hubs to bring our technical assistance closer to Member States and exchange regional expertise, including in Mexico, Kenya, and Colombia.
And we act as the Secretariat of the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities – GlobE – which was established with the initiative and support of Saudi Arabia’s former presidency of the G20 in 2020.
The Network now includes 175 authorities from 99 countries – we are close to reaching the 100 mark – and it serves as an agile platform for law enforcement authorities to share information quickly and confidentially across borders on corruption-related cases.
Excellencies,
Anti-corruption efforts can only be sustainable if they are inclusive.
To this end, we are incorporating the voices of women and youth.
Our Global Integrity Education project connects the worlds of academia and business to promote ethical practices from classroom to boardroom.
Around 400 university lecturers from Kenya, Mexico and Pakistan have been trained over the past four years to equip young graduates with ethical mindsets, reaching over 35,000 students in these countries.
Meanwhile, our Global Resource for Anti-Corruption Education and Youth Empowerment initiative – GRACE – helps build the next generation of anti-corruption champions by incorporating integrity lessons in primary and secondary school curricula.
Our YouthLED Advisory Board is supporting the GRACE initiative, and I am pleased that we have a member of the board with us today – Camilla – who will tell us more about the importance of involving youth in anti-corruption efforts.
And we are working closely with civil society, the private sector, and public institutions, because uniting the world against corruption means uniting all sectors of society.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As we celebrate 20 years of the UNCAC, it is imperative that we keep the flame of anti-corruption alight for future generations.
The upcoming tenth session of the Conference of the States Parties to the UNCAC, to be hosted by the United States of America in Atlanta, will provide a platform to further take stock of progress, while looking ahead to new and pressing threats on the horizon.
From the need to root out corruption in climate responses, to tackling the use of emerging technologies and cryptocurrencies in facilitating money laundering and financial crime.
I encourage all Member States to actively participate and contribute to the discussions, reaffirming their unwavering dedication to combat corruption.
Together, let us continue to strive for a world where corruption finds no refuge, where justice prevails, and where the aspirations of the UNCAC shape the lives of people worldwide for the better.
Thank you.