ANTI-CORRUPTION COORDINATION MEETING CONCLUDES IN VIENNA

VIENNA, 5 February (UN Information Service) -- Steps to improve information sharing and best practices across the United Nations and other partners in the fight against corruption were discussed at an inter-agency anti-corruption coordination meeting in Vienna on 4 and 5 February 2002.

Participating were the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Supervision, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Office of Drug Control and Crime Prevention (ODCCP), including the Centre for International Crime Prevention and United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP), Council of Europe, Inter Police Organization (Interpol), Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and Transparency International.  They exchanged views and experiences on the current anti-corruption activities and future plans of the various United Nations agencies and other key multilateral organizations.

Each of the participating agencies presented the initiatives they had been taking in assisting countries and organizations to fight corruption.  There followed discussions of the desirability for better coordination and cooperation in those efforts, on monitoring of international conventions on the current initiative to draft a United Nations convention against corruption.

The meeting concluded that there were clear advantages for the improvement of information sharing and increased cooperation and coordination in the delivery of assistance to countries and to organizations.  Those included avoidance of duplication and an ability to learn from the experience of others in exercises similar to those being undertaken.  The capture of the necessary information would encompass both past and present projects and would be made available on a timely basis in a format discussed during the meeting.  That information could be made available on the Internet on a restricted basis.

Participants agreed that action should be undertaken in a step-by-step manner, starting with a particular area of activity and/or a small number of pilot countries.  The countries should be those where most of the agencies represented at the meeting have been working.  Full advantage of existing initiatives for the gathering and dissemination of information should be taken in order to avoid the duplication of effort.  It would be beneficial to develop measurable indicators to determine the cost effectiveness and impact of the initiative.  Possible impact indicators were:  (i) increased levels of trust and cooperation between the participating agencies to be measured by the increased use of information

made available through the programme; (ii) improved value for money; and

(iii) increased donor participation (for example, by bilaterals).

After a discussion of recent developments concerning the developments against corruption, participants expressed the view that the effective multilateral monitoring of the implementation of conventions was essential to underpin efforts being made by the agencies represented to fight corruption at the country and the grass-roots levels.  The conclusion of a comprehensive United Nations convention against corruption could serve as a constructive point of reference for their efforts to assist State parties.

Participation by members of the Office of the Internal Oversight Services was appreciated by other participants who shared the opinion that the continued participation of the agency was essential to the success of efforts being made by the United Nations to counter corruption.  A high level of integrity on the part of institutions offering assistance was important in adding credibility to their efforts.

The meeting was the result of an initiative taken by Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette, who convened meetings in New York on United Nations coordination of anti-corruption activities on 2 and 26 November 2001.  While it was agreed that the ODCCP held the United Nations global legislative mandate on anti-corruption, it had become clear that there were a various anti-corruption initiatives by different United Nations agencies.

It was further agreed that it would be useful for the ODCCP to foster coordination of those efforts and organize a broader inter-agency coordination meeting in Vienna, in connection with the first session of the Ad Hoc Committee for the Negotiation of a Convention against Corruption from 21 January to

1 February 2002.

For more information, please contact:  United Nations Information Service Vienna (UNIS), Tel.: +43 1 260 60 - 4666; Fax: +43 1 26060 5899, E-mail: UNIS@unvienna.org.  Visit our homepage www.unis.unvienna.org.

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