UN anti-corruption convention approved in Qatar

Manama: A mechanism to monitor the implementation of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) has been endorsed following a week of intense negotiations in Doha, Qatar.

“The agreement will not end corruption, but it will enable us to measure and fight it,” Antonio Maria Costa, the executive director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), said.

The legally binding Convention obliges 142 countries to prevent and criminalize corruption, promote international cooperation, recover stolen assets, and improve technical assistance and information exchange.

Under the new mechanism, all countries will be monitored every five years to see how they are living up to their obligations. Findings, based on self-assessments and peer review by experts, will be compiled in country review reports and their executive summary will be made public. “From now on, states will be judged by the actions that they take against corruption, not the promises they make”, said Costa.

The country reports will identify gaps in national anti-corruption laws and practices while strengths and weaknesses will be revealed by a self-assessment checklist based on new software developed by UNODC. This analysis is expected to enable a more effective delivery of technical assistance.

“Since corruption hurts us all, we must all unite to fight it”, said Costa who described the UNCAC as “the people’s Convention”. He lauded the member states for a resolution on preventive measures that stressed that “the promotion of a culture of integrity and the prevention of corruption are the responsibilities of all sectors of society”. This theme was echoed throughout the week by parliamentarians, the media, civil society, the private sector, and international organisations.

Businesses were urged to align their anti-corruption practices with the UN anti-corruption Convention. “CEOs: come around the table, and pledge not to cheat – and ensure that everyone is playing by the same rules. Governments have done it, now it’s your turn”, said Costa.

The next session of the Conference of States Parties will be held in Morocco in 2011.