The Expert Group Meeting (EGM) in Prague will consider existing norms and practices around the world on transparency in political finance and suggest some common principles to be considered by the participants at the EGM in Oslo, Norway.
In this regard, participants will be expected to:
(1) Share lessons learned from their experiences in strengthening transparency in political finance;
(2) Identify good practices to enhance transparency in political finance;
(3) Propose possible principles for transparency in political finance to be considered by the EGM in Oslo, Norway.
Tuesday, 21 May 2019
Opening Ceremony
Welcome remarks:
• Mr. Magnus Ohman, Senior Political Finance Advisor, International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES)
• Mr. Samuel De Jaegere, Anti-Corruption Advisor, Corruption and Economic Crime Branch, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
Tour de table
Introductory Session
Presentation on the United Nations Convention against Corruption (focus on Article 7 (2-3)) and the Implementation Review Mechanism by Ms. Livia Krings, Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer, UNODC
Session 1: Transparency in Political Party Financing – Illicit sources of funding
This session will consider how to prevent illicit sources of funding being used for financing political parties, thereby subverting the rule of law and contributing to corrupt practices.
Moderator: Ms. Zorana Markovic, Regional Anti-corruption Adviser, UNODC Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific
Presentations:
Mr. Marcin Walecki, Head, Democratization Department, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)
Session 2: Transparency in Political Party and Campaign Financing – Donations
This session will consider measures to deal with donations, including foreign donations and corporate funding, in a transparent manner, to political parties and political campaigns which may otherwise undermine trust in the political processes and electoral outcomes.
Moderator: Mr. Julio Bacio Terracino, Deputy Head, Public Sector Integrity Division, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Presentations:
Mr. Yukihiko Hamada, Senior Programme Officer, International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA)
Mr. Yves-Marie Doublet, Administrator, French National Assembly
Session 3: Transparency in Campaign Financing – Cost of elections
This session will consider how the cost of elections may lead political candidates to engage in corrupt practices in order to raise vast quantities of assets for campaign financing, as well as ways to prevent such practices.
Moderator: Mr. Niall McCann, Lead Electoral Advisor, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Presentations:
Ms. Lolita Cigane, Former TI Latvia Director, Former MP
Session 4: Oversight over Political Financing to Enhance Transparency
This session will consider measures to enhance transparency through reporting, oversight and the role of civil society and the media.
Moderator: Ms. Lise Stensrud, Senior Policy Advisor on Anti-Corruption, NORAD
Presentations:
Mr. Magnus Ohman, Senior Political Finance Advisor, IFES
Session 5: Roadmap moving forward
In this final session, participants will discuss a roadmap moving forward, including proposed principles and recommendations on transparency in political finance to combat corruption involving vast quantities of assets more effectively, which will feed into discussions at the Expert Group Meeting in Oslo, Norway, in June 2019.
Moderator: Mr. Samuel De Jaegere, Anti-Corruption Advisor, UNODC and Mr. Marcin Walecki, Head, Democratization Department, OSCE/ODIHR.
Closing remarks
▪ Mr. Magnus Ohman, Senior Political Finance Advisor, IFES
▪ Mr. Samuel De Jaegere, Anti-Corruption Advisor, UNODC
