– As delivered –
Remarks by H.E. Mr. Volkan Bozkir, President of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly
2 June 2021
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is my privilege to preside over the 32nd United Nations special session of the General Assembly on challenges and measures to prevent and combat corruption and strengthen international cooperation.
I extend my appreciation to His Excellency Eric Anderson Machado, Permanent Representative of Peru to the United Nations, for his tireless work throughout the informal consultations on the Political Declaration.
As the treaty body with primary responsibility for promoting and reviewing the United Nations Convention against Corruption, the Conference of the States Parties to the Convention plays a central role in improving the capacity of, and cooperation among, States parties to achieve the objectives set forth in the Convention. I thank the President and the States Parties for their work, particularly in the lead up to this special session.
I also thank Ms. Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and her team, for supporting this process.
This special session comes at a critical moment for humanity, as we work on a complex global vaccine roll-out effort. I urge all policymakers to leverage this special session to take concrete measures, to prevent and address corruption. Loopholes must be closed, and safeguards put in place. We must learn from this experience because the next crisis will come, and we will need to be prepared to meet it when it does.
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
We cannot pretend that there were no issues before the COVID-19 pandemic. Transnational financial crime and corruption are unfortunately commonplace in our interconnected, interdependent world. Corruption affects many decision-making processes and remains one of the most critical challenges for states, institutions, and communities.
The effects of corruption are detrimental to all of society.
Corruption:
- corrodes public trust;
- weakens the rule of law;
- seeds conflict;
- destabilizes peacebuilding efforts;
- undermines the promotion of human rights;
- impedes progress towards the achievement of gender equality;
- hinders our ability, to achieve the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals;
- hits the poor, marginalized and vulnerable people, the hardest.
We cannot allow corruption to continue.
We will not.
It is time to re-double our efforts and build upon the progress we have made thus far. For over two decades Member States have been working to combat corruption through comprehensive commitments such as the adoption of the United Nations Conventions against Transnational Organized Crime and against Corruption; the international conferences on financing for development, which resulted in the Addis Ababa Action Agenda; and the High-Level Panel on International Financial Accountability, Transparency and Integrity, for Achieving the 2030 Agenda (FACTI Panel).
These recent efforts demonstrate Member States’ understanding that, in order to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we must end corruption.
The UNGASS Political Declaration builds upon the existing architecture and will provide the international community with a roadmap for the future. It will guide Member States in their work to fight corruption and money-laundering, as well as critical efforts to recover assets and prevent illicit financial flows which derail our progress on the Sustainable Development Goals.
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Corruption thrives in a crisis.
The COVID-19 pandemic has put unprecedented strain on supply chains, infrastructure, and systems around the world. As the number of COVID-19 positive cases increased, governments responded rapidly. These expedited processes undoubtedly saved lives.
However, they inadvertently led to gaps in compliance, transparency, oversight, and accountability which were exploited by the most corrupt actors.
This special session comes at a critical moment for humanity, as we work on a complex global vaccine roll-out effort. I urge all policymakers to leverage this special session to take concrete measures, to prevent and address corruption. Loopholes must be closed, and safeguards put in place. We must learn from this experience because the next crisis will come, and we will need to be prepared to meet it when it does.
To this end, I invite you to attend the high-level supporting event I am convening tomorrow, which will focus on addressing corruption in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
The international community must continue adapting to new and emerging challenges. The special session is a key moment to galvanize a comprehensive, multi-stakeholder response. Non-governmental organizations, civil society, the private sector, youth, and academia all play a significant role in the fight against corruption.
I am delighted that we will have an opportunity to listen to, and learn from, a multitude of stakeholders during the special session.
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
We will not recover from this global economic downturn without a concerted effort to end corruption. Each Member State, and indeed each individual, has a responsibility to be vigilant, to take preventative measures, and to uphold the rule of law, without exception.
I urge you to make the most of this special session against corruption.
I thank you.
