UNODC promotes regional meeting to debate strategies against corruption

Debate on corruption in the UN headquarters in the Paraguayan capital

Asuncion, 19 December, 2013 - The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) organized a three-day meeting between  government institutions from Brazil, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay in Asuncion as part of the activities for the International Anti-Corruption Day, celebrated on 9 December. The Regional Anti-Corruption Meeting aimed to bring the experiences of the participating countries regarding the fight against corruption and the strengthening of the new Paraguayan government with anti-corruption measures.

During the visit, the Paraguayan authorities were presented to the initiatives of the Comptroller General Office of Brazil, the Fiscalia of the Chilean Ministry of Justice and the Transparency and Public Ethics Board of Uruguay. In addition, UNODC led discussions and activities with the participation the private sector, the non-governmental organizations and other international bodies involved with the theme of corruption.

Authorities gathered for the regional meeting

Chile and Uruguay have the best Corruption Perception Index (CPI) in the region, notably involving citizen participation through social accountability for more than 4 years. Brazil has made some progress in this area in recent years, especially after the pressure of popular mobilizations with the approval of some important laws in this matter and Paraguay is currently implementing some initiatives for preventing and punishing corruption practices among all governmental institutions from the three different powers The participating countries shared their positive experiences and challenges from various perspectives regarding the prevention and suppression of corruption, considering the role and profile  of the institutions involved with the issue.

The UNODC Liaison and Partnership Office in Brazil, through the National Integrated Country Programme of Paraguay, provides technical assistance to the country in three main work areas: organized crime and trafficking; justice and countering of corruption; and drug demand reduction and treatment. Currently, the Paraguayan State, in partnership with UNODC, is working on the construction of a national strategy against corruption.

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