The Anti-Corruption Conference kicks off in Doha with a call to harness artificial intelligence in the fight against corruption

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres sent a video message broadcast at the opening of the eleventh session of the Conference of States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption in which he said, “Corruption is not a victimless crime. It fuels conflicts, entrenches inequality, and drains the resources needed to protect people and the planet.” “Every dollar lost to economic crimes is a dollar stolen from those working hard for a better future,” he added.

Guterres warned that “emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, can accelerate the pace of corruption, but they are also able to help us detect and prevent corruption. However, this requires regulation and accountability.”

In turn, the President of the United Nations General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, said in a video message, “Preventing and ultimately eliminating corruption is our common duty. We owe it to the people we serve.”

Need for an integrated and coordinated approach

“Corruption provides the illicit infrastructure for criminal groups to operate and profit with impunity around the world,” said John Brandolino, Acting Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

He added: “There is a need for an integrated and coordinated approach, in which agencies work across sectors and borders, with all relevant partners, to simultaneously eliminate crime and collusion networks,” calling on States Parties to make the most of the initiatives and tools of his office in the field of combating corruption, and to exploit this session “to reaffirm the global vision for a new era for the Convention.”

“Shaping tomorrow’s integrity”

The eleventh session of the Conference of States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (COSP11) lasts for a full week, and is held under the slogan: “Shaping the Integrity of Tomorrow,” with the participation of more than 2,000 people representing 170 states party to the Convention.

The Prime Minister of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman bin Jassim Al Thani, delivered a speech before the conference, followed by speeches by the outgoing president of the tenth session, Christine Klein from the United States, and the president-elect of the eleventh session, Hamad bin Nasser Al-Misnad from Qatar.

The decisions being considered by the parties to the Convention focus on the role of artificial intelligence in preventing and combating corruption, enhancing the safety of children and youth, improving transparency in the financing of political parties and electoral campaigns, the role of corruption in facilitating other crimes, such as migrant smuggling and crimes affecting the environment, and other topics.

About the Convention against Corruption and the Conference of States Parties

The United Nations Convention against Corruption is the only global legally binding instrument to combat this crime. The agreement entered into force in December 2005, and is a near-global agreement with 192 state parties joining it. Under the Convention, States Parties are legally obligated to prevent and criminalize corruption, promote international cooperation, recover and return stolen assets, and improve technical assistance and information exchange in the public and private sectors.

Through the mechanism to review the implementation of the Convention, States Parties agreed to participate in the process of assessing the extent to which they fulfill their obligations under the Convention. Since 2010, the Independent Review Mechanism has helped 146 countries update or introduce new anti-corruption laws and policies.

UNODC enables countries to transform their global anti-corruption commitments into concrete reforms that protect public resources and promote transparency, integrity and prosperity. Through its field presence, the Office supports countries in building accountable institutions and reducing opportunities for corruption.

The Conference of States Parties is the main decision-making body of the United Nations Convention against Corruption. Held every two years, the Conference supports parties in implementing the Convention and adopting policies that shape global anti-corruption efforts.