UNODC Southeast Asia Anti-Corruption Newsletter (April - June 2021)
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Strengthening Anti-Corruption Investigations
(26 - 28 April 2021, Viet Nam)
Enhancing financial investigations are a crucial part of the fight against corruption in Viet Nam, where an estimated $9.1 billion USD was lost to illicit outflows over 2006-2015, according to Global Financial Integrity (2019).
To address this, UNODC partnered with the Ministry of Public Security for a training on anti-corruption investigations in the city of Da Nang, bringing together officers from investigative bodies, police academies and law enforcement agencies across Southern and Central Viet Nam. A written summary of the workshop is available here.
Webinar on Addressing High-Level Conflict of Interest in Southeast Asia
(25 May 2021, Online)
In Southeast Asia, various ways to address conflict of interest have been sought. In Indonesia, specialized 37/2012 and 30/2014 laws target the issue in the public sector. Other countries have introduced relevant regulations at the administrative level, or included in codes of conduct, with administrative and disciplinary sanctions to enforce them.
To build further action against this issue, UNODC held a webinar on Addressing High-Level Conflict of Interest in Southeast Asia, the latest in a series of publicly accessible events on aspects of the UNCAC. The webinar looked at international legal frameworks, recent cases of high-level conflict of interest in Southeast Asia and prevention approaches, including asset disclosure and beneficial ownership mechanisms. A written summary of the webinar is available here.
Promoting Open Data to Fight Corruption in Indonesia
(2 - 4 June 2021, Online)
Indonesia is currently seeking to enhance its open data practices through the enaction of its latest National Action Plan (2020-2022) (NAP), which seeks to enhance transparency across numerous sectors..
To promote the application of open data standards in the context of Indonesia, UNODC held a Workshop on Open Data, looking particularly at ways to enhance the transparency of administrative budgets, public contracting and beneficial ownership. A written summary of the workshop is available here.
Formulating Data-Driven Anti-Corruption Approaches in Southeast Asia
(2021, Regionwide)
A UNODC study published earlier this year showed that the uptake of data analytics is highly unequal across Southeast Asia. A lack of cooperation among agencies that collect data and insufficient availability of electronically formatted, compatible datasets were among the most common obstacles cited by Anti-Corruption Agencies in the study.
To address these challenges, UNODC has organized a series of events for practitioners from Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam to discuss best practices around data analysis and public procurement systems. A written summary of the recommendations per country will be available here later this week.
Webinar on Combating Corruption Involving Vast Quantities of Assets (05 July 2021, Online)
The Oslo Statement on Corruption Involving Vast Quantities of Assets identifies ways to prevent the corrosive effects of largescale corruption, including through the transparency of state operations, asset recovery, financial investigation, protection of victims and whistle-blowers, remedial actions and the protection of enforcers.
To share best practices based on cases within the region and recommendations to uphold the independence of institutions, UNODC held a webinar on Combating Corruption Involving Vast Quantities of Assets. The full recording and a written summary of the webinar are available here.
