BEYOND
ANTICORRUPTION RHETORIC:
COALITION BUILDING AND MONITORING IMPACT
INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE
Sofia, 23-24 March 2001
Program
Ms. Helene Holm-Pedersen,
Anti-Corruption Net Work Manager, OECD
Preliminary Chairman's
Conclusions
Annual Meeting of the
Anti-Corruption Network for Transition Economies in Europe
Istanbul
20-22 March 2001
At the invitation of the OECD
Secretariat of the Anti-Corruption Network for Transition Economies
in Europe (the Network), and with the support of the United States
Agency for International Development and the Turkish Government,
over 100 government officials, civil society actors, and
international organisations met in Istanbul on 20-22 March 2001 to
take stock of progress in the fight against corruption in the
region and review strategies for future action.
Noting that corruption is a violation of human
dignity that deprives people of their basic social and economic
rights;
Acknowledging that corruption is
inimical to the practice of democracy, erodes the rule of law, and
damages the trust of citizens in their governments;
Recognising that the fight against
corruption is vital to economic growth and sustainable
development;
Welcoming the progress that has taken place in the
fight against corruption throughout the region since the last
Annual Meeting of the Anti-Corruption Network in 1999,
Recognising the diversity of types and levels of
corruption across the region and the need to share experience
between countries to accelerate the pace of reform;
Noting that political will at the highest levels of
government remains imperative to effectiveness in the fight against
corruption; and that partnerships between governments and civic
actors are essential;
Recalling the value of
international instruments in setting standards for domestic
action;
Emphasising the need for urgent
action against the corruption problem, and calling upon donors to
increase and co-ordinate their support for anti-corruption
activities;
Recognising the value-added of
regional co-operation and action-oriented
knowledge-sharing;
Highlighting the importance of
public education in raising awareness about the damaging effects of
corruption, and the noting the critical role of independent media
in this respect;
Welcoming the Annual Meeting as a
unique forum for governments and civil society to meet as equals,
across borders, sectors, and donor-beneficiary lines.
Endorsing the Network's vital role as a catalyst for
developing regional strategies and building alliances;
Delegates agreed that the Network
must be:
· demand-driven and based upon a commitment of and
contribution by all involved, in order to achieve concrete
results;
· responsive to the changing needs
and priorities of its members and;
· organised to enhance member
participation in its agenda-setting and decision-making.
Delegates reaffirmed their
commitment to a successful follow-up process to the Annual Meeting
and to ensuring that words are translated into actions, and actions
into results.
In keeping with this commitment,
Delegates identified the need for future actions within the Network
in the following 4 strategic areas:
- Rule of Law and the Use of Legal
Instruments
- Good Governance
- Civil Society
Participation
- Regional Networking
RULE OF LAW AND THE USE OF
LEGAL INSTRUMENTS
The rule of law must be
institutionalised, through comprehensive programmes of judicial
reform and the creation of truly independent, impartial, and
professional judiciaries and investigative bodies.
Delegates agreed that the Network
could make a valuable contribution in:
· Helping compile and disseminate
lessons learned and good practices from among Network countries in
how to improve the independence of courts, in particular ensuring
their freedom from political interference
· Providing "best practice" experience to improve
the quality and integrity of courts through measures including
recruitment, discipline and training
· Initiating a comprehensive
assessment of gaps and inconsistencies in existing criminal, civil
and procedural codes and laws, and assisting countries in
identifying options and partners for addressing them.
· Exploring ways and means of
supporting countries in improving and modernising court
administration processes; and enhancing the status of members of
the judicial branch to optimise their effectiveness, in particular
through ensuring adequate budgetary support and appropriate
remuneration.
· Assisting in catalysing targeted involvement of
civil society, particularly the media, in support of these
steps.
GOOD GOVERNANCE
Delegates agreed that good
governance implies strengthening trust between government and the
public.
They emphasised that transparency
and accountability are the foundation of such trust.
They agreed that codes of conduct
are one of a broad range of measures to enhance integrity in the
public service.
They identified the core values of
public service, notably impartiality and accountability to the
public interest, as the basic elements of effective codes of
conduct. They acknowledged that monitoring, reporting and
enforcement procedures are crucial components of such codes.
Delegates agreed that Network can
make an important contribution in providing practical advice on the
process of developing and implementing codes of conduct; and in
helping compile and disseminate lessons learned and best practices
in good governance among Network countries.
CIVIL PARTICIPATION
Delegates recognised the vital
role of civil society activism in promoting and monitoring the
implementation of international standards and local laws.
Delegates agreed that the Network
can assist civil society in enhancing its effectiveness in the
fight against corruption in by promoting co-operative ventures,
exchanging experience, and compiling inventories of tools and case
studies in the following areas:
· Monitoring
· Donor standards and
co-ordination
· Public interest advocacy
Delegates recognised the
importance of education about the damage of corruption to the
economy and to society as a whole as a means of mobilising the
public in the fight against corruption.
Delegates encouraged the creation
of civil society coalitions within the Network of non-governmental
organisations, business associations, trade unions, the media and
other actors to achieve a more decisive impact.
REGIONAL ACTION
Delegates recognised the
importance of regional co-operation to enhance the fight against
corruption. The Network is a bridge as well as process in
itself.
Delegates welcomed the Stability
Pact Anti-Corruption Initiative as a valuable model for
comprehensive regional action and standard setting.
Delegates commended the Baltic
states on their launch of a new initiative within the Network and
the OECD Baltic Regional Programme to develop a roadmap for
capacity- and institution-building in fighting corruption and
meeting international standards.
Delegates emphasised the important
role of the Network in pursuing synergies with other regional
initiatives, including the processes associated with the Global
Forum, the International Anti-Corruption Conference in Prague, and
the Kiev Conference on "Anti-Corruption Strategies for Transition
Economies: Common Problems, Common Solutions."
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