2011 Activities

Palestinian Governmental and Civil Society Organizations Join 150 Countries in Marrakesh to Follow-Up on the Implementation of the UNCAC: Emphasis on the importance of recovering public assets lost due to corruption

Palestinian Governmental and Civil Society Organizations Join  150 Countries in Marrakesh to Follow-Up on the Implementation of the UNCAC: Emphasis on the importance of recovering public assets lost due to corruption

The fifth session of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) conference of States Parties was held in Marrakesh, Morocco this week. 150 countries participated in the conference along with a number of international and civil society organizations that specialized in combating corruption.
A Palestinian delegation representing both governmental and civil society participated in the conference. The governmental sector was represented by Mr. Rafiq Al-Natsheh, Head of the Anti-Corruption Commission, representatives of the Ministry of Justice, the General Prosecution, and the State Audit and Administrative Control Bureau. The civil society was represented by Dr. Azmi Shuaibi, AMAN’s commissioner for combating corruption, Hama Zidan, head of the Advocacy and Legal Advice Center, and Isam Haj, the organization’s Programs and Projects Director.

The Arab Spring - A Rational Outcome of Corruption

The conference’s agenda focused on reviewing State Parties’ reports on implementation and how to further enforce the convention. During the general discussions and workshops, it became clear that corruption and looting of public funds was one of the key reasons for the Arab Uprising. The demands of the public created a notable concern amongst participants for asset recovery resulting from corruption. Attendees focused on the negative role that western states played in absorbing funds without asking depositors about their legitimacy and therefore ignoring existing anti-money laundering laws.

In one of his remarks at the conference, Dr. Azmi Shuaibi asked Arab countries and leaders to learn from the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, Yemen and Syria that occurred as a result of political corruption. The majority of the Arab countries welcomed the openness and participation of the civil society with a notable exception by representatives of the UAE.

Civil Society Participation Critical for Convention’s Success

Civil society activists and AMAN Coalition, partners of the Coalition of Civil Society Organizations’ Network affiliated with the UNCAC, demonstrated at the main square in Marrakesh to express the necessity of engaging different non-governmental bodies in combating corruption.

Resolution on the Fourth Session of the UNCAC Conference of States Parties

 

Transparency International’s 2011 Annual Membership Meeting passes the following resolution with respect to the UN Convention against Corruption for submission to the upcoming fourth session of the UNCAC Conference of States Parties, beginning 24 October 2011 in Marrakesh, Morocco:

1. Commending UNODC for a good start in launching the Implementation Review Mechanism and expressing their appreciation to UNODC including their Civil Society Team for the excellent collaboration with TI and the UNCAC Coalition, including in providing training for civil society organizations in the UNCAC review process.

2. Expressing satisfaction that most of the country reviews undertaken in 2010-11 have included country visits by the review teams, and inputs to the reviewers from civil society. These two elements, plus publication of country self-assessments and final reports (on which results are not yet available), are crucial for the effectiveness and public credibility of the review process.

3. Calling for reviews to start with publication by UNODC and States Parties of information about country focal points and actual review schedules (to be updated as needed) as this is essential to achieve inclusiveness and transparency.

4. Recalling UNCAC provisions on transparency and civil society participation, including Article 13 and the Terms of Reference for the Review Mechanism which emphasizes transparency, inclusiveness and wide consultation with stakeholders and urging States Parties in future reviews to maintain the practice of including civil society in country visits.

5. Expressing concern that the issue of non-governmental inputs to the Implementation Review Group (IRG) remains unresolved. Because the IRG plays a key role in the planning and assessment of the review process, it is essential that the IRG obtain adequate written and oral inputs from civil society organizations and the private sector. Participation of CSOs as observers in the IRG would give effect to the letter and spirit of the Convention, to the Review Mechanism’s Terms of Reference and to the applicable procedural rule (Rule 17 of the CoSP Rules of Procedure).

6. Requesting UNODC to prepare a Third Guide, with a focus on building sustainable ethical infrastructure, to assist state parties and non-state actors in furthering integrity

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