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Action on international cooperation for anti-corruption: Summit for Democracy recommendations
International cooperation is vital to investigate corruption cases and recover stolen assets, and thus to end the impunity associated with high-level corruption. Few would dispute that, but achieving commitments made under international treaties such as the UN Convention against Corruption UNCAC remains a work in progress. New recommendations by the Summit for Democracy’s International Cooperation for Anti-Corruption Cohort outline how to build on progress in international cooperation made over the last 10–15 years. They seek particularly to overcome challenges related to: Non-cooperative territories that continue to offer secret hiding places for illicit money. Mutual legal assistance MLA , widely acknowledged as still too slow, bureaucratic and underfunded in most states. Political will to change the status quo. Corruption fighting back, through disinformation campaigns and malicious lawsuits against prosecutors, judges and journalists. The Cohort is a cooperation between the Government of Moldova, Basel Institute on Governance and Transparency International under the Summit for Democracy initiative of US President Biden. 30 steps to better international cooperation The recommendations cover 30 key actions in four categories: The first category concerns enhancing compliance with international standards by establishing or strengthening implementation review mechanisms and demanding more accountability from non-cooperative jurisdictions. An annual public reporting mechanism could shine a spotlight on countries’ performance in MLA. The second deals with widening the scope of international standards and related domestic legislation. This includes recognising grand corruption offences as serious organised crimes, as Transparency International and others have long campaigned. It also includes closing loopholes by implementing centralised beneficial ownership registers see data on this published by Open Ownership , properly regulating non-financial businesses and professions, and boosting the implementation of asset disclosure requirements for public officials. This category also covers ways to widen the prosecutor’s toolbox and maximise the amount of assets that can be lawfully recovered. And, vitally, to ensure returned assets are used transparently for the benefit of the people harmed, with adequate remedies for corruption victims. The third category deals with operational coordination and cooperation between states. It encourages the use of informal channels and networks, available technical assistance offers such as from the Basel Institute or StAR Initiative, early engagement with foreign jurisdictions, and cooperation between law enforcement and non-state actors. The recommendations also cover ways to externalise cases and to involve more jurisdictions in order to increase the striking power of enforcement. Enhancing domestic enforcement and asset management capacities is the final and longest category. Actions here range from ensuring enforcement authorities have the necessary powers, independence and resources to providing a safe environment for whistleblowers and other stakeholders to report corruption. It also offers several technical solutions to better manage recovered assets and promote their transparent use for crime prevention or social purposes. About the Cohort The recommendations arise from two workshops bringing together individuals at the leading edge of fighting the type of high-level corruption that transcends borders and threatens democracy. The broad participation, spanning governments, civil society/non-profit organisations and the private sector, recognises that international cooperation on fighting corruption is a joint responsibility of all those committed to democratic principles and the rule of law. See the full recommendations and list of participating governments and organisations. Learn more about anti-corruption under the Summit for Democracy initiative Watch a video featuring short statements from Gretta Fenner, Managing Director, Basel Institute on Governance; Iulian Rusu, Director, National Anti-Corruption Centre, Moldova; and Daniel Eriksson, CEO, Transparency International.
Anti-corruption at centre stage of the Summit for Democracy
The second Summit for Democracy on 29–30 March 2023 will shine a spotlight on corruption as a threat to democracy, peace and security. And in the context of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, the security implications of state capture and strategic corruption will no doubt be at centre stage. An initiative of US President Biden, the Summit seeks both high-level commitments and ground-level actions to advance democracy, fight corruption and counter authoritarianism. The second Summit S4D2 is the culmination of a series of Democratic Cohorts that governments and civil society partners are co-leading in democratic countries around the world. The aims are to spur action on political commitments, to increase resilience regardless of political cycles, and to build trust among stakeholders that care about the same things but sit in very different positions in society. A Year of Action on anti-corruption The Basel Institute is co-leading two cohorts: Anti-Corruption Policies, with the Ministry of Justice of Bulgaria and the Center for the Study of Democracy International Cooperation for Anti-Corruption, with the Government of Moldova and Transparency International At the Summit, the partners will report on achievements during the last year the so-called Year of Action in the fight against corruption. They will present a declaration of commitments looking forward, signed by governments and with civil society ready to support as well as to hold them to account. The two cohorts coordinate with one another as well as with the cohort on Financial Transparency and Integrity, co-led by the United States Government, Open Government Partnership and Brookings Institution. Why Bulgaria and Moldova? At the heart of Southeast Europe, Bulgaria and Moldova are well placed to co-lead the two anti-corruption cohorts. The region has been particularly vulnerable to the type of entrenched oligarchic networks that stonewall good governance reforms and stymie democratisation. Spurred by citizens’ demands, things are changing. But there is a lot more to be done to fight back against the kleptocratic structures that fuel institutional distrust, political turmoil, inequality and poverty. Having built up a strong base in the region, the cohorts plan to expand on that initial success in the coming year. Opportunities to participate The United States will co-host this year’s Summit on 29–30 March with Costa Rica, the Netherlands, South Korea and Zambia. Two days of civil society-led and thematic sessions precede the Summit itself, which will launch with a virtual plenary session of world leaders. On the second day, the co-hosts will gather representatives of government, civil society and the private sector in their own countries. South Korea’s Summit for Democracy events on 30 March focus on anti-corruption. The Basel Institute’s Managing Direcor Gretta Fenner will participate on a panel on financial transparency and integrity, which will be live streamed on the Korean Foreign Ministry's YouTube channel. Several of the cohorts’ events are open to the public for virtual participation. These include an upcoming all-day forum in Sofia, Bulgaria, co-organised by the Basel Institute, Ministry of Justice of Bulgaria and the Center for the Study of Democracy on 21 March. The event will feature virtual opening remarks by the Basel Institute's President Peter Maurer, as well as a panel on Collective Action and the High Level Reporting Mechanism HLRM with Vanessa Hans, Head of Private Sector, and Renne Traicova, Team Leader Bulgaria. Learn more View a short video with statements from the two cohorts' lead representatives. See the civil society-focused Summit 4 Democracy website developed by Accountability Lab. View the US Department of State Fact Sheet on outcomes of all the Democracy Cohorts. To follow events, watch SummitForDemocracy on social media. For more on the anti-corruption theme and cohorts, connect with the Basel Institute on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Fostering cooperation in corruption prevention at OSCE Seminar in Moldova
The ICCA was invited to take part in an OSCE seminar on "fostering co-operation in corruption prevention between government and the private sector" in Chisinau, Moldova from 28-30 April. The event brought together over 50 senior and mid-level anti-corruption professionals from Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus, experts from international organizations, Europe and the United States, to address co-operation in corruption prevention between government and the private sector. During this 3-day seminar, the ICCA expert participated in two panel discussions providing insight into private sector tools and methodologies to combat corruption, as well as Collective Action approaches and their applicability against corruption in the region.
Governance field research for WHO in Moldova, Finland and Turkey
In the context of the Basel Institute's renewed collaboration agreement with the World Health Organisation WHO to conduct analytical research into concepts of governance and accountability, experts of the Basel Institute traveled to Finland, Moldova and Turkey to collect insights into the institutional arrangements governing the health system in these three countries. The findings from this field research will be incorporated into a final report on "strengthening health systems by improving accountability for health systems in European Member States".
Publications
Recommendations of the International Cooperation for Anti-Corruption Cohort of the Summit for Democracy
These recommendations by the Summit for Democracy’s International Cooperation for Anti-Corruption Cohort outline how to build on progress in international cooperation made over the last 10–15 years. They seek particularly to overcome challenges related to:
- Non-cooperative territories that continue to offer secret hiding places for illicit money.
- Mutual legal assistance (MLA), widely acknowledged as still too slow, bureaucratic and underfunded in most states.
- Political will to change the status quo.
- Corruption fighting back, through disinformation campaigns and malicious lawsuits against prosecutors, judges and journalists.
The Cohort is a cooperation between the Government of Moldova, Basel Institute on Governance and Transparency International under the Summit for Democracy initiative of US President Biden.
Participating countries: Albania; Armenia; Austria; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Chile; Costa Rica; France; Germany; Iraq; Ireland; Korea (Republic of); Kosovo; Malta; Moldova; Nigeria; Norway; Senegal; Slovenia; Spain; Switzerland; UK; Ukraine; USA.
Participating civil society organisations: African Center for Governance, Asset Recovery and Sustainable Development, Nigeria; Basel Institute on Governance and International Centre for Asset Recovery, Switzerland; Brookings Institution, US; Center for the Study of Democracy, Bulgaria; German Marshall Fund of the US; Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE), Moldova; International Bar Association – Asset Recovery Committee; Legal Resources Institute, Moldova; Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP); Transparency International; Transparency International France; Transparency International Kazakhstan; Transparency International Moldova; Transparency International Portugal; UNCAC Coalition.
Participating intergovernmental organisations: European Commission; Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative (RAI), UNODC
The State of Corruption: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine
Corruption remains a major problem in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, threatening economic development and political stability as well as the credibility of governments. While some progress has been made in adopting anti-corruption laws in all five countries, the capture of important institutions by powerful interests is seriously undermining the effective enforcement of these laws.
In order to address the problem, Transparency International national chapters conducted in-depth research on the strengths and weaknesses of more than 60 institutions responsible for preventing and fighting corruption across the five countries. This report presents the results of this research, identifies trends and issues of common concern across the region, highlights promising developments in the field of anti-corruption and makes concrete proposals for reform.