Global combating trillions of dollars looting each year

View in the conference hall in Bali, Indonesia, in January 2008.

By Chhay Sophal

Bali, Indonesia: Recognizing corruption as a cancer and a communicable disease in each society, the world leaders, policy makers, stakeholders of both government and the civil society, film producers, movie stars, musicians, and singers, including media people, from more than 100 nations gathered in Bali, Indonesia, for the “United Nations Convention against Corruption” to find out an effective way to treat the chronic disease. A group of Cambodian delegates from government and civil society also attended the five days event, held between 28 January-1 February 2008.

A joint report from the United Nations and the World Bank (WB) said corruption and tax evasion are estimated to total $1 trillion to $1.6 trillion a year and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) says this ‘disease’ cannot be eradicated unless a concerted campaign is waged by all people in every society. "Corruption hurts us all, therefore fighting it is a shared responsibility - we all have a duty and the power to say 'no' to corruption," said Antonio Maria Costa, UNODC Executive Director, at his opening ceremony.

The UNODC and the WB on September 17 2007 announced a broad new effort called “Stolen Asset Recovery”/StAR Initiative to help developing nations build capacity to recover billions of dollars of looted funds. According to the WB, it is estimated that developing countries lose US$20-40 billion each year through corruption and money laundering. Every US$100 million of stolen assets returned to a developing country could fund immunization for 4 million children, water connections for 250,000 households and malaria-treatment for 50-100 million people.

In her remark at the conference, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the WB Managing Director, says all delegates in the UN Convention for Anti-Corruption in Bali should take collective action against corruption and that the developing countries are the victim-states of corruption and forced to comply with developed world’s standards for transparency, accountability and good governance. However, she added, corruption in these nations is “also the result of an enabling and permissive global environment”. Dr. Ngozi urged all countries to be responsible for this environment, particularly those with greater economic and political leverage.

Article 13 of the UN Convention Against Corruption states that “Each state party shall take appropriate measures to promote the active participation of individuals and groups outside the public sector, such as civil society, non-governmental organizations, and community-based organizations, in the prevention and fight against corruption.”

During the conference, representatives from dozens of nations presented their respective governments’ commitment to combat corruption -- harming society, undermining democracy, and weakening the rule of law. The state representatives also shared their experiences, and lessons learned, and sought technical assistance to take the stolen assets back from the corrupt. While corruption in some countries is out of control, the delegates also urged for collaboration by setting up working groups with technical assistance to help each other fight the common enemy.