The first ever Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGASS) devoted to the Challenges and Measures to Prevent and combat Corruption and Strengthen International Cooperation was held in a hybrid format in New York from 2 to 4 June.
The first ever Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGASS) devoted to the Challenges and Measures to Prevent and combat Corruption and Strengthen International Cooperation was held in a hybrid format in New York from 2 to 4 June.
During the opening plenary session on 2 June, Justice Minister Marta Cartabia, in a passage of her intervention by remote, stressed that "corruption is a global threat that tests our societies and economies, hindering sustainable economic growth and distorting competition in the market, undermining the rule of law and trust between citizens and governments. It also constitutes a serious obstacle to the development of the prosperity and security of our countries and our communities". Minister Cartabia also stressed that a global response based on shared measurement systems is essential for an effective and crosscutting fight against corruption, which is increasingly complex and sophisticated, permeating new risk areas such as sport, emergencies and crises, and exploits the interconnections between business and organised crime. Ms. Cartabia at the end of her speech therefore called on everyone to take on a "personal commitment not to remain complicit in a culture of corruption".
Starting Tuesday, June 1, 40 virtual side events were organized by Governments, Departments and Agencies of the United Nations, Governmental Organizations and UNODC. As Chair of the G20 Anti-corruption Group (ACWG), Italy has co-sponsored several of these events.
In particular, the event promoted by the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), entitled: "Rule of Law & the Judiciary in Realizing the UNGASS Promise", was held 1 June and was specifically dedicated to the role of the judiciary and the rule of law in preventing and combating corruption. Among the panellists, Magistrate Giovanni Tartaglia Polcini intervened as head of the Italian G20ACWG Task Force.
Italy has also been among the co-sponsors of the parallel event organized by the Partnering Against Corruption Initiative of the World Economic Forum (PACI), dedicated to gatekeepers, the freelance professionals, largely legal, because of the nature of the services offered on the market, they can cooperate in identifying and averting corrupting patterns and illicit financial flows. The event, entitled "Uniting Gatekeepers against Illicit Financial Flows – A Framework for Action", was held on June 2 and among the panellists was Dr. Italo Borrello, Director at the Analysis and Institutional Relations Directorate for the Italian Financing Intelligence Unit (FIU).
Also on June 2, the event "Building Transparent, Accountable and Inclusive Institutions", co-organized by UNDESA and the Coe Group against Corruption (GRECO), was held. Dr Valli participated, for the National Authority Anti-Corruption (ANAC), with a report entitled: "The role of the Italian Anti-corruption Authority (ANAC) During COVID-19".
Last but not the least on June 4 was held the parallel event organized by Italy as G20 Presidency with the valuable support of UNODC, "Leading on Anti-Corruption: the G20, its goals and key achievements". The event has also involved other countries as co-sponsors: Colombia (in light of its role as promoter of UNGASS 2021), Saudi Arabia (former G20 Presidency) and Indonesia (future G20 Presidency). The event was introduced and moderated by Alfredo Durante Mangoni, Chair of the G20 ACWG and Coordinator for Anticorruption at the Italian MoFA and Mr. Giovanni Tartaglia Polcini, Magistrate and Legal Advisor head of the Italian Task Force on anticorruption as panelist. The event was dedicated to the G20 Anti-corruption Working Group (ACWG) and the launch of its new website. Strongly desired by the Saudi Presidency, built by UNODC and financed by Italy, the web site collects all the results obtained by the Group since its establishment in Toronto in 2010 and represents an essential step towards the enhancement of the global anticorruption agenda and an important goal achieved thanks to a collective effort, as highlighted by Alfredo Durante Mangoni. The website is extremely intuitive, user-friendly and interesting and it is aimed at raising awareness and knowledge of the general public on the Group's work and efforts in the global fight against corruption, in line with the multistakeholder approach.
The UNGASS momentum represented a valuable opportunity to engage in discussion on the global anticorruption needs and issues while raising awareness and knowledge on the global efforts against corruption and on the endeavour, results and goals of the G20 ACWG. While the Covid-19 pandemic is affecting all the economies and societies globally we have the duty to keep our guard up and indeed to strengthen national and international cooperation on anticorruption in order to guarantee an inclusive and sustainable recovery, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, while ensuring transparency, accountability and integrity and promoting the rule of law and a legally oriented environment. In this context, there is a real call for partnership in governance, alongside public institutions, of the private sector, the academia and the civil society. The UNGASS represented a pivotal step precisely in this direction and the UNGASS Political Declaration will provide a valuable contribution to the future work of the G20, its action and constant effort to raise the bar of integrity and the rule of law among diverse jurisdictions.
