In an exclusive interview with the G20 Brasil website, Minister Vinícius Marques de Carvalho from the Federal Comptroller General's Office (Controladoria-Geral da União/CGU) highlights the cooperation among countries to adopt comprehensive integrity measures. He underscored the commitment to high ethical standards and transparent practices aimed at detecting and combating acts of corruption. The Working Group meeting on this topic begins tomorrow (25) in Paris, France
From June 25 to 27, the G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group (ACWG), coordinated by the CGU in collaboration with the Office of the General Counsel of the Federal Government (Advocacia-Geral da União/AGU) and the Brazilian Ministry of Justice and Public Security (Ministério da Justiça e Segurança Pública/MJSP), will meet in Paris, France, to discuss this issue. The choice of Paris, the capital and administrative seat of France, is justified by the country's role as co-chair of the ACWG alongside Brasil. Additionally, the strong diplomatic relationship and alignment in anti-corruption policies between Brasil and France reinforce the decision to host the ACWG meeting in the city.
It is important to highlight that corruption profoundly affects global society in several ways. Beyond negatively impacting the quality of public services and individual freedoms, it also results in enormous financial losses. Corruption undermines politics by weakening democracy and the rule of law, hampers the economy by diverting resources to projects without significant public benefit, deteriorates the social fabric by eroding trust in institutions, and contributes to environmental degradation by enabling the irresponsible exploitation of natural resources.
However, it is essential to recognize that the challenges are not limited to governments and public agencies. Corrupt practices also affect the private sector, compromising transparency and efficiency in business operations.
In an exclusive interview with the G20 Brasil website, CGU Minister Vinícius Marques de Carvalho underscored the importance of collaboration among forum countries to address global corruption, showcasing Brazilian initiatives in this context.
How does the Anti-Corruption Working Group align with the Brazilian G20 presidency's theme of building a fair world and sustainable planet?
Vinícius Marques de Carvalho: The group's work is directly connected to these goals, as environmental violations are often linked to corruption. Environmental crimes frequently result from practices such as bribery and embezzlement. Furthermore, today's integrity agenda can no longer be separated from issues of inequality and the climate emergency. Companies play a crucial role in this agenda; addressing business integrity today means tackling climate issues, gender equality, human rights, and more.
How does the Working Group intend to involve G20 countries in preventing private sector corruption?
Vinícius Marques de Carvalho: It is important to understand that corruption is not solely a public sector issue; it also exists within the private sector. We need to focus not only on enforcement but also on creating incentives for companies to adopt integrity measures. At the G20, we are seeking guiding principles to strengthen the establishment of internal governance structures within companies to deter corrupt behaviors and establish appropriate consequences for such practices.?
What concrete actions is Brasil proposing to combat corruption and enhance public integrity?
Vinícius Marques de Carvalho: In Brasil, we have programs like Empresa Pró-Ética, which recognizes companies with robust integrity systems, and the Brasil Pact for Business Integrity (Pacto Brasil pela Integridade Empresarial), which encourages companies to adopt anti-corruption measures, especially in government projects. Additionally, we are investing in technology, such as the Preventive Audit in Public Bidding - Alice (Analisador de Licitações, Contratos e Editais), an artificial intelligence tool that detects and alerts risks to prevent the waste of public resources. This system monitors public bids and contracts for potential deviations, contributing to the prevention of corruption.
How does public integrity relate to reducing inequalities and addressing climate challenges?
Vinícius Marques de Carvalho: Public integrity encompasses various agendas that enable society to oversee government actions, such as access to information, transparency, and open governance. It also promotes dialogue with society. Fundamentally, when we talk about integrity, we refer to institutions and policies that are trustworthy to society. Public integrity is essential for the sustainable and economic development of any nation. This includes reducing inequalities and addressing the climate challenges we are currently facing..
