The Ukrainian delegation took part in the plenary session of the 11th Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (CoSP11). During the event, the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) held a series of bilateral meetings and participated in thematic parallel events dedicated to corruption risk management, asset declaration, transparency of political party financing, and corruption prevention in strategically important areas.
During the conference, the Ukrainian delegation held talks with international partners:
- European Union delegation: the parties discussed the implementation of Ukraine's new Anti-Corruption Strategy and current cases of combating corruption in the context of European integration.
- Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative (RAI): discussed the possibility of Ukraine joining the International Treaty on Exchange of Data for the Verifying of Asset Declarations, given the importance of access to reliable and timely information, including from foreign jurisdictions, to improve the effectiveness of verifying declarations and monitoring the lifestyles of public officials. The NACP joined the RAI as an observer two years ago.
- France: Discussions were held with Isabelle Jégouzo, Head of the French Anti-Corruption Agency (Agence française anticorruption, AFA), on the challenges of developing anti-corruption policy, analysing corruption risks and implementing integrity standards in the public and private sectors.
- Lithuania: with the head of the Special Investigation Service of the Republic of Lithuania (Specialiųjų tyrimų tarnyba, STT) Linas Pernavas, to continue the cooperation set out in the memorandum, discussed areas of cooperation, common challenges and support for Ukraine on its path to joining the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Working Group on Bribery.
- Bulgaria: with Tihomira Kostova, representative of the economic programme ‘Centre for the Study of Democracy’, discussed the experience of researching corruption risks, as well as the impact of information campaigns on the perception of corruption in society.
- Italy: Discussions were held with Giuseppe Busia, President of Italy's National Anti-Corruption Authority (Autorità Nazionale Anticorruzione, ANAC), on the implementation of anti-corruption strategies, the application of objective indicators of corruption risks, the development of whistleblower institutions, and ensuring transparency in public procurement, particularly for the reconstruction of Ukraine. The meeting was a continuation of cooperation within the framework of the previously signed Memorandum of Understanding.
- Armenia: with Mariam Galstyan, Head of the Corruption Prevention Commission of Armenia, discussed the areas of activity of institutions, points of intersection, and shared key achievements, particularly in the areas of corruption risk analysis, financial control, and control over the finances of political parties.
- Norway: Discussions were held with representatives of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Norwegian Embassy in Vienna and the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security on the Norwegian resolution on transparency in political party financing, which Ukraine supported.
- Azerbaijan: An exchange of experience took place with representatives of the Anti-Corruption Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the preparation of strategic analysis of corruption risks and methodological approaches to anti-corruption expertise of draft regulatory and legal acts.
- Lebanon: The Ukrainian side shared with representatives of the Lebanese National Anti-Corruption Committee its experience in creating and implementing IT tools in the field of corruption prevention. In particular, information was provided on the functioning of the electronic declaration system, the liability established by law for failure to submit declarations and for submitting inaccurate information in declarations, and the main areas of activity of the National Agency on Corruption Prevention were outlined.
The Head of the NACP spoke at the annual meeting of the Network of Corruption Prevention Authorities (NCPA). In his report, he informed about the NACP's powers to control the development and implementation of anti-corruption programmes by state authorities, in particular about the improvement of the anti-corruption programme of the Ministry of Health and the comprehensive analysis of legislation in the field of health care. Particular attention was paid to the implementation of the recommendations proposed in the NACP study ‘Top 10 corruption risks in medical and social expertise related to the establishment of disability,’ which is particularly relevant in the context of full-scale war.
At the Basel Institute on Governance event ‘Preventing Corruption at an Early Stage: Natural Resource Management,’ the Head of the NACP presented a study on corruption risks in forestry and emphasized the critical importance of preventing corruption in the post-war environmental restoration process. According to preliminary estimates, the damage to Ukraine's forestry sector as a result of the destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station by the Russian Federation amounts to approximately $28 billion.
In addition, the Ukrainian delegation participated in the event ‘Stages and Future Directions of Global Review Mechanisms’ with the participation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the OECD, the Council of Europe's Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) and the Anti-Corruption Mechanism of the Organization of American States (OAS). The event featured an overview of the collective contribution of international anti-corruption review mechanisms. Participants discussed the key achievements of these mechanisms, their role in strengthening integrity and accountability at the national level, and outlined further development priorities. Particular attention was paid to issues of complementarity and strengthening synergies between international review mechanisms in order to increase their effectiveness.
NACP representatives took part in a parallel event entitled ‘Combating corruption in public procurement through risk management’, organized with the participation of ANAC, the Greek National Transparency Authority (NTA) and the French Anti-Corruption Agency (AFA). The event provided an overview of the latest changes in the European Union's anti-corruption framework. Representatives of the competent authorities of Greece, France, and Italy shared their national experiences in developing, implementing and evaluating anti-corruption strategies, including the results achieved, and key lessons learned in the process of their implementation.
An event dedicated to public participation in monitoring results-oriented anti-corruption strategies was also held. During the discussion, an approach to monitoring based on change theory was presented, covering input resources, activities, results, outcomes and long-term impact, which ensures objective and measurable assessment of the implementation of strategic goals. The event was organized by the Anti-Corruption Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
We would like to remind you that the Head of the NACP spoke at the UN Anti-Corruption Conference and called on states to invest in systems that measure integrity. During the conference, the NACP has joined the commitments to ensure transparency and public participation in the implementation of the provisions of the UN Convention against Corruption. In addition, a special event organized by the NACP, ‘Ukraine's Resilience: Fighting Corruption for Post-War Recovery,’ was also held on the sidelines of the conference.
For reference
The United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC, 2003) is a global international agreement that defines comprehensive mechanisms for preventing corruption, criminalizing corruption offences, international cooperation, and asset recovery.
The Conference of the States Parties to UNCAC is a key intergovernmental body responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Convention and setting global priorities in the fight against corruption.
In accordance with the order of the President of Ukraine, the Ukrainian delegation to the Conference was headed by the Head of the NACP, Viktor Pavlushchyk. The delegation also included representatives of key anti-corruption and state institutions of Ukraine, in particular the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, the High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine, the Asset Recovery and Management Agency, as well as diplomatic institutions and other state authorities.
