Thematic Area 3: Anti-Corruption and Asset RecoveryOutput 3.1: SEE jurisdictions effectively engage in intergovernmental processes to fast-track the United Nations Convention against Corruption, including its Conference of the States Parties (COSP) and the Implementation Review Mechanism (IRM).
Output 3.2: SEE jurisdictions strengthen legal and policy frameworks to address corruption in line with UNCAC.
Output 3.3: SEE jurisdictions institutional frameworks, including integrity systems, address corruption in line with UNCAC.
Output 3.4: Anti-corruption practitioners and other stakeholders in the region apply their capacities to prevent and counter corruption.
Output 3.5: Increased international cooperation in the region to prevent and counter corruption, including on asset recovery cases.
⇨ Strategic goal: Create a culture of accountability and transparency and improve regional capacity in tackling corruption and asset recovery
Corruption diverts public funds, weakens institutions, undermines public trust, and poses a threat to the rule of law, stability and security, while facilitating organized crime.
Corrupt activities also undermine sustainable development and environmental protection efforts. In the energy sector, corruption risks are prevalent in both fossil fuels and renewable energy markets. Issues such as bribe ry, nepotism, and tender rigging hinder the transition to clean energy and affect investment in sustainable projects. Regional economic integration and development necessitate a transparent and sustainable business environment, ensuring that strategic business corridors are free from corruption. Efforts to improve governance and transparency in the private and energy sectors help attract investment and promote sustainable growth.Corruption remains a significant concern in South-Eastern Europe, and there is a growing need to step up the prevention and repression of corruption and the confiscation of assets, targeting sectors most vulnerable to corruption.
The United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) is the only legally binding universal anti-corruption instrument. South-Eastern European jurisdictions are at various stages of implementing UNCAC, and continued efforts are needed to implement the recommendations from the Convention’s Implementation Review Mechanism (available here).
Enhancing regional and international cooperation is necessary to adopt targeted actions against corruption and strengthen the capacity of agencies for investigating and preventing corruption.
UNODC’s work on anti-corruption is channelled through a regional platform to fast-track implementation of the UN Convention against Corruption, aiming to support jurisdictions to implement UNCAC through the identification of shared regional anti-corruption good practices, challenges and priorities and the development of roadmaps of commitments in support of Sustainable Development Goal 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions.
The platform for the Western Balkans was launched at a high-level regional conference held on 25 June 2021 in Ohrid, North Macedonia. At that meeting, high-level government representatives of six Western Balkan jurisdictions (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia) agreed on a Regional Anti-Corruption and Illicit Finance Roadmap. The roadmap focused on three shared priority areas :
I) Preventing and countering corruption in public procurement, including in times of crisis;
II) Further strengthening conflict of interest and asset declaration systems; and
III) Enhancing criminal justice responses to corruption and economic crime through the creation of a regional network of specialized prosecutors, law enforcement and financial intelligence units in the Western Balkans Jurisdictions.
In 2022 and 2023, UNODC supported the six jurisdictions with a number of regional policy dialogues and other capacity-building activities aimed at implementing the Regional Anti-Corruption and Illicit Finance Roadmap. In 2024, taking into consideration the progress made in the implementation of the 2021 roadmap, new priority areas in fast-tracking the implementation of the Convention were agreed at a regional conference in Tirana, Albania, as follows:
I) Preventive measures;
II) Criminalization, law enforcement, international cooperation and asset recovery.
High-level meeting on the endorsement of the Regional Anti-Corruption and Illicit Finance Roadmap
UNODC provides tailored technical assistance in support of the implementation of UNCAC in various corruption-related thematic areas. In addition to the priority areas identified by the Platform, UNODC has been addressing the growing demand for support in areas such as enhancing the use of technology, open data and digital platforms and anti-corruption education. This technical assistance takes different forms, including legislative assistance, assistance in the development of national policies and strategies, strengthening corruption risk management capacities, and capacity-building activities, among others.
UNODC’s support to UNCAC implementation contributes to jurisdictional reform agendas and growth plans to accelerate the European Union accession process, in particular in relation to Chapter 23 on judiciary and fundamental rights and Chapter 24 on justice, freedom and security of the EU’s Acquis Communautaire.
UNODC supports the development and implementation of policies, strategies and action plans to prevent and address corruption and organized crime in the region. In recent years, UNODC has provided such assistance in relation to three anti-corruption strategies (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia), one organized crime strategy (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and two asset recovery strategies (in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia).
As part of this engagement, UNODC supports the provision of guidance on ethics and integrity in public administration (Serbia) and law enforcement (Bosnia and Herzegovina).
UNODC also supports the rollout of anti-corruption training programmes for criminal justice practitioners (North Macedonia).
To fortify asset recovery capacity and ensure that criminals are deprived of the financial benefits of corruption and other crimes, UNODC has been actively supporting a range of initiatives. This includes the development of mutual legal assistance guides to streamline cross-border cooperation, modus operandi documents on international collaboration, and fast action response guides to facilitate the timely identification, freezing, and confiscation of criminal assets.
Additionally, UNODC organizes regional policy meetings, trainings on financial investigations and practical exercises, bringing together key stakeholders to reinforce coordination, share best practices, and drive policy reforms on asset recovery.
After the launch of the Roadmap Initiative in 2021, Western Balkans jurisdictions have reported an increased number of asset recovery cases and a higher volume of confiscated assets.
In 2022, the Western Balkans jurisdictions joined the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities (GlobE), which facilitates transnational cooperation on corruption cases. In 2023, a regional component of this network for the Western Balkans was launched.
UNODC has been engaged in efforts to increase the participation of civil society and the private sector in UNCAC implementation, as well as initiatives to promote the leadership of women in anti-corruption in South-Eastern Europe.
Regional Anti-Corruption and Illicit Finance Roadmap
