26 September 2017 - UNODC is hosting this week the first multi-stakeholder workshop on the
United Nations Convention against Corruption and its Review Mechanism in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
As the first such workshop to be held in Southeast Europe, the event aims to develop capacities of around 60 participants across the region to contribute to the implementation of the Convention and its Review Mechanism.
Speaking at the event, Vladica Babic, Assistant Director of Bosnia and Herzegovina's Agency for the Prevention of Corruption and the Coordination of the Fight Against Corruption, underscored the importance of cooperation to tackle this phenomenon worldwide. He said: "Without the help from international partners and civil society, we are blind and cannot do anything in our efforts to fight corruption."
At the first review cycle, approximately 85 per cent of Governments involved civil society organizations in their country visits, building momentum to uphold their treaty obligations. The workshop, in this regard, reiterates the importance of this practice during the second review cycle, especially in the Southeast Europe region. It also aims to promote collaboration between all relevant stakeholders.
Pointing to the 2030 Agenda, Mirella Dummar Frahi, UNODC's Civil Society Team Leader, said: "All Sustainable Development Goals can be hampered if corruption prevails. The fight against this peril is deeply rooted in Goal 16, which aims to provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels."
Supported by the Austrian Development Agency through the Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative, and by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the training will inform participants about the methodology and tools for country reviews and build their capacity to reproduce workshop sessions at the national and regional levels. Participants will engage in a constructive dialogue by sharing their experiences, lessons learned and good practices, as well as undertaking practical exercises.
The UN Convention against Corruption, ratified by 182 States, is the only legally binding, universal, anti-corruption instrument. Its far-reaching approach and the mandatory character of provisions make it a unique tool for developing a comprehensive response to global corruption issues.
To date, 286 civil society organizations from across the world have been trained under the UNODC Civil Society Programme. It aims to provide them with the necessary tools to work with Governments and the private sector in implementing the Convention.
