The special session of the General Assembly on challenges and measures to prevent and combat corruption and strengthen international cooperation will be held from 2 to 4 June 2021 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, pursuant to General Assembly resolutions 73/191 and 74/276, as well as decisions 74/568 and 75/562 entitled “Special session of the General Assembly against corruption”.

Corruption threatens the stability and security of societies, undermines public trust and institutions, and jeopardizes sustainable development. It distorts markets, stifles economic growth and diverts funds from public services. While corruption is a global phenomenon, evidence shows that it has a disproportionate impact on certain demographics, in particular poorer communities and the most vulnerable persons. Corrupt practices have a particularly adverse impact on the lives of women, socially, politically and economically, contributing to gender disparity gap.

The special session will provide an opportunity to galvanize the political will of governments and the international community as a whole in advancing the fight against corruption. Governments will be able to take stock of global efforts and commitments and identify solutions to common challenges in preventing and combating corruption. The special session will also contribute to driving forward the efforts of countries to fully and effectively implement the Convention, including by, inter alia, sharing best practices and lessons learned.

 

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Format

The three-day special session will consist of plenary meetings to be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3 to 6 p.m., in the General Assembly Hall.

Pursuant to General Assembly resolution 74/276, a concise and action-oriented political declaration agreed upon in advance by consensus through intergovernmental negotiations under the auspices of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption will be presented for adoption by the General Assembly at its special session. Detailed information on the preparatory process for this special session is available at the following website: www.ungass2021.org.

The President of the General Assembly will also convene a high-level supporting event on the margins of the special session, which will include interactive elements and enable participation by a range of stakeholders. Further details regarding this event are available in the dedicated event section below.

General Assembly decision 75/562, “Special session of the General Assembly against corruption”

​On 16 April 2021, the General Assembly, on the proposal of its President (A/75/L.75), recalling its resolutions 73/191 of 17 December 2018 and 74/276 of 1 June 2020 and its decision 74/568 of 31 August 2020 on the special session of the General Assembly on challenges and measures to prevent and combat corruption and strengthen international cooperation, noting with concern the situation regarding the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, and noting that there were certain limitations in place on access to the United Nations premises as precautionary measures aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19, including quarantine requirements:

(a) Decided, without setting a precedent for future special sessions of the General Assembly, that those who were invited to participate in the opening of the special session in line with paragraphs 2 (b) and 17 of its resolution 74/276, and those who were invited to participate in line with paragraphs 2 (d) and (e) of its resolution 74/276, might submit a pre-recorded statement, which would be played in the General Assembly Hall after introduction by the President of the General Assembly at the special session;

(b) Also decided that Member States, States and regional economic integration organizations parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption and observers to the General Assembly, in line with paragraph 2 (c) of its resolution 74/276, might submit a pre-recorded statement by their Head of State or Government, head of delegation or other dignitary, which would be played in the General Assembly Hall during the special session, after introduction by their representative who was physically present in the Assembly Hall;

(c) Further decided that, in addition to the verbatim records of the special session, the President of the General Assembly would circulate as a document of the Assembly a compilation document of the statements delivered by means of pre-recorded statements during the special session and submitted to the President no later than the day on which the pre-recorded statement was played in the Assembly Hall, and that such pre-recorded statements would be attached to the verbatim records of the special session.

Programme

2 June
10:00-11:00 am
Opening Segment 

Minute of silent prayer or meditation

Appointment of the members of the Credentials Committee

Election of the President of the Special Session

Statements by:
• H.E. Mr. Volkan Bozkir, President of the General Assembly
• H.E. Ms. Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations
• H.E. Mr. Munir Akram, President of the Economic and Social Council
• H.E. Dr. Harib Saeed Al Amimi, President of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption
• Ms. Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
• Ms. Serena Ibrahim, Youth Forum representative, founder of Youth against Corruption

Organization of the special session

Adoption of the agenda

Adoption of the political declaration (A/S-32/L.1)

11:00 am-1:00 pm
General Debate

The plenary meetings will include statements by Member States, States and regional economic integration organizations parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption, observers to the General Assembly and, time permitting, a limited number of representatives from relevant organizations attending the special session.

Report of the Credentials Committee 

3:00 -5:30 pm
General Debate continued

 

3 June
10:00 am-1:00 pm
General Debate continued

 

3:00-6:00 pm
General Debate continued

 

4 June
10:00 am-1:00 pm
General Debate continued

 

3:00 -5:30 pm
General Debate continued

 

5:30-6:00 pm
Closing Segment 

Minute of silent prayer or meditation

Closing of the special session 

 

 

High-level supporting event on the margins of the special session

The President of the General Assembly will also convene a high-level supporting event on the margins of the special session on Addressing corruption in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event will feature a panel discussion, with a participation of experts from international organizations, civil society, and the private sector, involved in assessing and mitigating corruption risks during the fight against and recovery responses to COVID-19. The programme and concept note can be accessed below. 

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1:30-1:35 pm
Opening Remarks 

• H.E. Mr. Volkan Bozkir, President of the General Assembly

1:35-2:40 pm
Interactive Panel Discussion 

Addressing corruption in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic 

Prof. Jeffrey D. Sachs (Moderator)

Director, Center for Sustainable Development, Columbia University

Dr. Mariângela Batista Galvão Simão

Assistant Director-General, Access to Medicines and Health Products, WHO

Ms. Sanda Ojiambo

Executive Director & CEO, The United Nations Global Compact

Ms. Delia Ferreira Rubio

Chair of Transparency International

2:40-2:45 pm
Closing Remarks 

 

Key Documents