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On 11 December, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) organized a side event “Catalyzing change: Political will in fighting corruption” on the sidelines of the tenth session of the Conference of State Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in Atlanta, Georgia. During the event, OCEEA presented the OSCE’s work in promoting good economic governance and anti-corruption measures to ensure security and stability in the OSCE region. Furthermore, it underscored the essential role of political will in the fight against corruption, emphasizing its critical importance in shaping successful anti-corruption initiatives.
“Political will is not merely important; it is instrumental in shaping the bedrock of robust anti-corruption measures and ensuring their effective implementation. In the broader context of advancing the rule of law and good governance, we recognize these not as abstract concepts but as fundamental prerequisites for prosperity and economic growth,” stressed Adea Pirdeni, Deputy Minister of Justice of Albania, in her opening remarks.
"The OSCE is able to work actively and successfully with participating States to turn their anti-corruption commitments into tangible projects and actions via the work of OCEEA and other units,” said Professor Anita Ramasastry, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combatting Corruption.
The OSCE’s role in supporting the establishment of Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Committee was also highlighted by Sasun Khachatryan, Chairman of the Committee: “It is an axiomatic truth that corruption damages all layers of public relations without exception, but now I would like to address its impact on the country’s economic development. The fact that the consistent and uncompromising fight against corruption is yielding its results is also evidenced by the economic indicators recorded by the Republic of Armenia.”
During the week, OSCE also intervened during the General Discussion at the plenary, highlighting the Organization’s commitment to fulfill the mandate in the area of good governance and anti-corruption, and its support to its participating States in implementing their commitments under the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).
The Conference of the States Parties (COSP) is the main policymaking body of the United Nations Convention against Corruption. It supports States parties and signatories in their implementation of the Convention, and gives policy guidance to UNODC to develop and implement anti-corruption activities. OSCE has the status of observer within this body.