Transparency International e.V.

09/24/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/24/2024 09:17

Summit of the Future: Robust anti-corruption measures critical to Pact's success

Summit of the Future: Robust anti-corruption measures critical to Pact's success

Pact for the Future missed broader threats but recognised the role of anti-corruption in financing sustainable development

24 September 2024

FromSeptember22 to 23, theUnitedNationsconvenedworldleadersto determinehowtheywillworktogetherto achievetheSustainableDevelopmentGoalsandsecurea betterfutureforallhumanity.TheSummitadoptedthejointPact for the Future, in whichmemberstatescommittedto a seriesof actions.Corruptionwasnotmentionedin thezerodraft,butmemberstatescorrectedthisandit wasultimatelyincluded- thoughonlyas partof commitmentsundertheactionfocusedon financing.Thisdoesnotsufficientlyrepresenttheimpactof corruptionacrossthePact'spurposes.Nonetheless,TransparencyInternationalwelcomestheinclusionof corruptionin thediscussionandthePact,butcallson governmentsto moredeeplyintegrateanti-corruptionefforts.

MaíraMartini,Headof Policy& Advocacy(Interim)at TransparencyInternational,said:

"Weseetimeandagainaroundtheworldhowcorruptionandillicitfinancialflowsstymieprogress.At a timewhenhumanityfacesnumerouschallengesfromclimatechangeto violentconflict,worldleadershaveno timeto wastein combatingcorruption.TransparencyInternationalcommendstheSummitof theFutureforemphasisingstates'responsibilityto tackleourgreatestissues.Morespecifically,we lauditsacknowledgementthatcorruptionandillicitfinancialflowsrobessentialresourcesthatareneededforthisdevelopment- butthisis notenough.

"ThePactfortheFuturedoesnotsufficientlyaddressthemyriadwayscorruptioninterfereswithsustainabledevelopment.In particularit paysno heedto thepivotalroleof transparencyandaccountability,norto howcorruptiondisruptsgovernment'seffectiveness,impairstheequitableprovisionof servicesanderodestrustin institutions.Withoutdueattentionto theseelements,progressis unlikely.

"Memberstatesmusttakecorruptionmoredeeplyintoaccountas theybeginimplementingthePact'scommitments.TransparencyInternationalcallson themto considerthewidevarietyof corruptionrisksandtakestepsto mitigatethem.In doingso,theymustengagecivilsociety,whichwithitsexpertisewillplaya centralrolein identifyingliabilitiesandsolutions,as wellas conductingoversightto holdgovernmentsaccountable."


Note to editors

Aheadof theSummit,TransparencyInternationalurgedleadersto meaningfullyconsidertheroleof corruptionandtheimpactof failingto addressit. Read more here:https://www.transparency.org/en/blog/corruption-must-take-centre-stage-summit-of-the-future