CLOSING: High-level debate to mark the 15th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Corruption
– As delivered –
Statement by H.E. Mr. Miroslav Laj?ák, President of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly, at closing of the high-level debate to mark the 15th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Corruption
Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Thank you, all, for your participation.
You brought your experiences, ideas and perspectives to the table.
My job, now, is to give some concluding remarks.
And I will not be able to capture everything we said, today. In fact, I will not even come close.
Our discussions were so rich – and, often, so personal – that a few minutes is not enough.
Instead I will simply give my own perspectives, and takeaways.
And, in my view, today’s event has allowed us to do a few things.
Actually, four, in particular:
First: To review the changing nature of corruption.
One thing is certain: corruption, unfortunately, has not gone away.
According to the World Economic Forum, it is costing us more than two trillion US dollars, every year.
But it has changed, a lot.
Yes, it is still happening, in traditional forms. We heard, today, about people being bribed and extorted.
But, there are also new – and menacing – phenomena.
One example is the role of corruption in financing international terrorism. Another is the increasing exploitation by criminal networks of weaknesses in our systems and institutions.
And, technology has changed the landscape.
In a negative way. For example, concern was raised that cryptocurrency could make money easier to hide.
But, also, for good. We heard, today, that the digital age makes it more difficult for bad deeds to be hidden. And we learned about how blockchain technology is making services more transparent.
There were many calls for more to be done, to harness technology in the fight against corruption. And a big focus was put on the need for better – and wider – data collection. This is crucial. How can we tackle corruption if we cannot even measure it properly?
Second: To better understand its effects.
Our discussions gave us an insight into the reality of corruption. And it was not a nice one.
We talked about suffering…. loss…. stagnation…. and injustice.
We heard accounts of the damage corruption can do to our healthcare, water, education and other vital services.
We also spoke about its destructive effects – on our planet. Many of you underscored the role the Anti-Corruption Convention plays, in protecting our natural resources.
And, in understanding the effects of corruption, we must focus on its relationship to conflict. As many of you stressed, corruption can fuel conflicts. It can provide funding to terrorist groups. And it can act as a root cause of divisions and conflict. We also heard from post-conflict countries – including through the Sri Lankan perspective, on the link between corruption and transitional justice.
Third: To hear from different stakeholders.
I am glad that our discussions featured a wide range of stakeholders. This allowed us to share lessons learned. To showcase best practices. And to bring ideas and experiences to the table.
This is true, for national actors. We heard about how Italy has made public procurement more transparent. We were also told about sweeping changes that have come about in Romania. And, we learned about best practices from Mexico, including legislative reforms.
Regional initiatives were also stressed. As we know, the African Union has designated 2018 as the African Anti-Corruption Year. This is vital, for the continent. Because, as we heard today, Africa loses between fifty to eighty billion US dollars a year, to illicit financial flows.
The role played by civil society came through, strongly, in our discussions. I was glad to learn about the role of Transparency International, in bringing different actors and partners to the table.
And, we could see the contribution made by academic institutions – particularly through analysis and data.
The role for the United Nations, as a coordinator and advocate is clear. I was glad to hear about efforts to open up, and build links with different partners. One example is the cooperation between UNODC and the World Bank on recovery of stolen assets.
Finally, we reaffirmed, many times, that the private sector is key. And we heard about efforts to increase engagement. Our event is a positive step in the right direction. A major company, Siemens, was represented. And a clear message was delivered: “Business is ready to be a constructive partner”.
And, when talking about stakeholders, we cannot forget people. Because they are the most critical partners of all. It was inspiring to hear about the work Transparency International is doing, to engage with people on the ground.
Fourth and finally: To look ahead.
We are here to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the United Nations Convention against Corruption.
And, as we look to the next 15 years, we have identified two main focus areas.
First, prevention. And, second, accountability.
To pursue both, we need to establish a new culture – one of zero tolerance.
This means making our institutions more transparent and accountable. It means putting more of our weight, behind efforts to promote the rule of law. And it means widening the space, becoming more inclusive, and inviting more actors to the table.
The 2030 Agenda provides us with a toolbox, to do all of this. Goal 16 is one of the most valuable tools in the box. And, the good news is we are using it.
We heard about new anti-corruption programs, which mainstream the Sustainable Development Goals. And we learned about new partnerships, among development, humanitarian, human rights and legal sectors.
But we need to be more proactive and innovative.
Our discussions also showed that the Anti-Corruption Convention is a powerful driver, of both prevention and accountability. This has been seen, in particular, through its review mechanism.
According to Under-Secretary-General Fedotov, 89% of the countries participating in this mechanism amended their laws or adopted new ones. Not only is this good, for their own corruption efforts – it has also wider benefits. In fact, 60% of countries reported that the review process led to better cooperation, with the international community.
Excellencies,
I hope the issues raised today – which I hope to capture in my presidential summary – will inform the Conference of the?States Parties.
Today, the United Nations Convention against Corruption was described as a “new frontier”.
And, it really was.
It marked the end, of the world we had known. And the beginning of a new era.
We have not reached all of our goals. This was clear, from our discussions today.
But, we are getting there.
And I want to thank you for making this meeting a milestone along the way.