Bosnia and Herzegovina: UNODC Fosters Cooperation between Public and Private Sector on Business Integrity

 

 

01 September 2024, Vlasic, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) – End of August, business associations, government representatives and companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina engaged in a workshop aimed at reducing corruption by building business integrity in the country. The workshop was held under the leadership of the BiH Agency for Prevention of Corruption and Coordination of the Fight Against Corruption (APIK), and with the support of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Building business integrity is a key goal of the new BiH Anti-Corruption Strategy for 2024-2028as. This pilot workshop was a timely opportunity to bring together national, regional and international experts on business integrity to discuss good practices and foster cooperation between the public and private sectors on corruption prevention.

The strategy was one of several topics covered at the event, which gathered over 25 participants. Others included the UN Convention Against Corruption and its provisions for the private sector, existing anti-corruption laws and policies, collective action and Principle Ten of the United Nations Global Compact.

Discussions during the workshop revolved around key measures to further promote business integrity, such as internal corruption prevention mechanisms, resources and capacities,  business integrity training and other support to businesses and chambers of commerce.

Recommendations made during the event will feed into the implementation of the BiH Anti-Corruption Strategy, which envisages action to strengthen public-private partnerships and foster a culture of integrity in the private sector. Authorities and UNODC also plan to organize a regional conference on corruption prevention in the private sector, including interlocutors from Western Balkans countries, to foster regional cooperation and exchange of good practices.

 

Further information

Preventing and countering corruption is a key objective of the UNODC Programme for South-Eastern Europe. Through this and other programmes, UNODC supports the efforts of institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina to prevent corruption and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions.

This activity was supported through the project Uniting Leaders for Business Integrity, financially backed by the US State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.