Final negotiations for UN convention against corruption begin in Vienna

The final round of negotiations on a United Nations treaty aimed at fighting the proliferation of corruption began this morning in Vienna, with more than 110 Member States expected to discuss remaining areas of divergence in order to reach consensus.

“The text being finalized over the next three weeks in Vienna has been compiled from proposals submitted by 26 countries from all regions of the world. That by itself reflects the global nature of the problem,” said Antonio Maria Costa, Executive Director of the Vienna-based UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The sixth session of the Ad Hoc Committee for the Negotiation of the UN Convention against Corruption, running through 8 August, will focus on areas where divergence still exists. These include the search for a definition of corruption, assets recovery and the question of whether to sanction only public, or also private, corruption.

Mr. Costa called for every effort to be made to reach consensus. “The effective fight against corruption is a condition for good governance and rule of law. These in turn are foundations of financial stability and sustainable development. Above all, the world needs an anticorruption instrument with teeth, namely able to have an impact,” he stated.

Finalizing the text would allow the new instrument to be submitted to the General Assembly at its 58th session this September and to the High-level Signing Conference scheduled to take place in Merida, Mexico, from 9 to 11 December.