On 22 March 2017, the Basel Institute on Governance and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) have entered into an agreement whereby ICAR will assist NABU in strengthening their capacities to conduct complex investigations into cases of grand corruption, money laundering and related financial crimes. The support involves both assistance in on-going investigations as well as providing ICAR’s signature training.

The Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine (GPO) mandated the Basel Institute on Governance’s International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) to assist with tracing and recovering assets stolen by former Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych and his inner circle. The agreement was signed on Monday, 11 August 2014, in Kyiv by the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, Mr Vitaliy Yarema, and Basel Institute Managing Director Ms Gretta Fenner.

On Thursday 12 November 2015 Basel Institute on Governance Managing Director Gretta Fenner met with Ukraine Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin to take stock of the cooperation between the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) and the Basel Institute’s International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) to recover assets stolen by former Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych and his close allies. Both parties recognised the challenges of asset recovery, and the particular challenges of asset recovery in the Ukrainian context.

Pursuant to an agreement signed in August 2014 between the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine (GPO) and the International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR), the ICAR conducted its second 5-day training workshop entitled “Financial Investigations and Asset Recovery”. The workshop was held at the National Academy of Prosecutors of Ukraine in Kyiv during the period 27 – 31 July 2015 in Kyiv, Ukraine. The first workshop took place in January 2015.

The High Level Reporting Mechanism (HLRM) has received increased attention in recent months, making it worthwhile to take stock of developments surrounding the tool as well as supporting items for their implementation.

This piece was originally published by the B Team Blog on 10 April 2017. Republished here with permission.

Metro Cash & Carry is one of the world’s leading self-service wholesale companies – selling food and non-food products to businesses and governments. In the past, MC&C’s Ukrainian branch would turn down potential business contracts with the Ukrainian government to avoid well-known and widespread corruption in its public procurement system.

A private sector perspective on the importance of compliance and the benefits of pursuing a level playing field through Collective Action in Ukraine.

The Basel Institute on Governance is pleased to launch two new resources on the High Level Reporting Mechanism (HLRM) as a corruption prevention tool. 

What role can compliance certification play in anti-corruption Collective Action?

The discussion around the ISO 37001 standard, published late 2016, created something of a debate on the pros and cons of certifying companies’ compliance programs. And while many welcomed the introduction of a uniform international standard for the prevention and detection of bribes other familiar criticisms of certification remain.