The International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA) and the Anti-Corruption Commission of Bhutan (ACC) co-hosted the Asia Regional Expert Meeting on Measuring the Effectiveness of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Thimphu, Bhutan, from 30 June to 2 July 2026. It was the second in a series of regional expert meetings convened by IACA this year under its Global Programme on Measuring Corruption (GPMC), following the Latin American meeting held in Fortaleza, Brazil, in early June.
The meeting was opened by Mr. Drago Kos, Dean of IACA, and Ms. Pema Choden, Chairperson of the Anti-Corruption Commission of Bhutan. It brought together heads and senior officials of anti-corruption agencies (ACAs) from across East, Southeast, and South Asia, alongside counterparts from Lithuania’s Special Investigation Service and the Brazil’s Office of the Comptroller General — the co-host of the Fortaleza regional meeting held earlier in June. They were joined by representatives of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), Transparency International Bangladesh, and academia, as well as a representatives from a broad range of Bhutanese national institutions, including the Election Commission, the Royal Audit Authority, the National Statistics Bureau, the Royal Bhutan Police, and the Office of the Attorney General.
Under the GPMC, IACA developed a research methodology to assess ACA effectiveness — a methodology designed by ACAs, for ACAs. More than 50 agencies worldwide, including Bhutan’s ACC, took part in the 2025 pilot phase, and IACA aims to expand participation to 100 agencies in 2026.
Over the course of the meeting, participants shared national experiences in measuring ACA effectiveness, reviewed initial findings from the pilot phase in the Asia region, and were introduced to IACA’s ACA Effectiveness Dashboard and the updated research methodology. Discussions also addressed collaboration with national statistical offices to strengthen data collection at the national level, as well as emerging topics such as transparency in political finance.
IACA extends its sincere gratitude to the ACC of Bhutan for its generous hosting and continued engagement in the development and piloting of the ACA effectiveness methodology. In the coming months, the series of regional expert meetings will continue, with upcoming meetings planned in different regions, including Rome, Italy, for Europe, alongside further engagements in other regions.
