The Conference of the States Parties (COSP) to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) closed its eighth session in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, on 20 December. The conference, which focused this year on asset recovery, international cooperation in anti-corruption and prevention of corruption, adopted 15 resolutions relevant for the implementation of the Convention as well as awareness raising on anti-corruption related topics.
Three of the adopted resolutions referred to the activities of IACA:
• In the resolution on “Strengthening asset recovery to support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” the States Parties to UNCAC requested the UNODC Secretariat to strengthen, as appropriate, co-operation with IACA on developing and implementing trainings for professionals and practitioners working in the field of asset recovery and return of proceeds of crime.
• The resolution on “Enhancing integrity by raising public awareness” recognizes IACA’s important contribution in providing technical assistance and training to raise public awareness and enhance integrity. It also encourages States Parties to take advantage of capacity-building and training programmes provided by IACA.
• Finally, the resolution on “Promoting integrity in the public sector among States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption” takes note with appreciation of the contributions that IACA can provide in the areas of technical assistance and training, upon the request of States Parties, to enhance integrity in the public sector.
During the general discussion, various national delegations welcomed the contribution IACA makes to the fight against corruption. Some States Parties highlighted the high standard of education provided by the Academy as well as its contribution to the training of anti-corruption professionals world-wide. Referring to the role of IACA as a centre of excellence for anti-corruption education and training, calls were made for those UN Member States that have not yet done so to join IACA and to profit from the various educational opportunities offered by the Academy.
IACA’s delegation to the COSP was led by Ms. Christiane Pohn-Hufnagl, Officer-in-Charge, and included IACA staff, and some of the IACA’s over 2400 strong Alumni Network. In her statement to the plenary on Tuesday, 17 December, Ms. Pohn Hufnagl elaborated on the work of the Academy and its contribution to the implementation of the UNCAC. She also emphasized that ‘as with tackling corruption on the day to day level, the same degree of vigilance is required at the macro level in supporting and maintaining the institutions that are the backbone of the global anti-corruption efforts.’
IACA's well-attended side event entitled ‘“Educate-Engage-Empower” to Fight Corruption – The Cooperative Approach of the International Anti-Corruption Academy’ was held on the first day of the conference. It brought together four members of IACA’s Alumni Network who provided their perspectives on the impact of IACA’s educational activities and their experiences in the practice of anti-corruption after graduating from IACA programmes or while being enrolled at the Academy.
IACA held several bilateral meetings on the margins of the conference with delegations of its Parties to discuss opportunities for enhancing cooperation. One such meeting included the signing of an agreement with the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the hosting of Module VII of the 2018 Master in Anti-Corruption Studies in Azerbaijan in 2020. For a meeting with the Minister of Justice of the Republic of North Macedonia, Ms. Renata Deskoska, the IACA delegation was joined by Mr. Alexey Konov, Chairperson of IACA's Board of Governors, as well as Ms. Slagjana Taseva, of IACA’s International Academic Advisory Board.