Doha: During a panel discussion on "Mitigating Corruption Risk in Public Procurement" at the Doha Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (COSP11), international officials and experts have urged the enhancement of corruption mitigation approaches to achieve sustainable development.
According to Qatar News Agency, HE Minister of State for Ethics and Integrity, Office of the Ugandan President, Akello Rose Lilly, emphasized that pursuing approaches based on corruption risk assessment and management is crucial for bolstering integrity and accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She highlighted that corruption remains a significant challenge inhibiting development efforts, particularly in developing countries.
Addressing a session held by the Anti-Corruption Commission in the Maldives, East African Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (EAAACA), Inspectorate of Government (Uganda), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and Africa Anti-Corruption Hub, Lilly stressed that corruption weakens institutions, diverts public resources, and undermines trust between citizens and the state. The impact of corruption is especially severe in countries with limited resources, where misuse of public funds can double costs.
Lilly discussed Uganda's experience, specifically the adoption of an Integrity Assessment Scorecard, as a practical tool for evaluating anti-corruption controls and procedures across ministries and government entities. She underscored that corruption risk assessment is a strategic governance tool that identifies structural vulnerabilities and designs robust preventive measures.
Regional and international collaboration, along with the exchange of expertise, is essential. The experiences from East African countries and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) offer opportunities to learn and adapt successful practices to various national contexts, Lilly noted. She emphasized the importance of deepening accountability, ethics, and public service, indicating that vulnerable groups are most affected by corruption, necessitating enhanced transparency and flexible institutional systems.
Combating corruption is a fundamental prerequisite for sustainable development. Fostering integrity, institutionalizing corruption risk assessment, updating mitigation mechanisms, and building effective partnerships are essential for delivering high-quality public services with integrity, efficiency, and accountability, Lilly pointed out.
Secretary-General of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of the Maldives, Fathimath Nilfa, said her country has developed a new Corruption Risk Self-Assessment (CRSA) tool. This tool aims to institutionalize corruption risk assessment, strengthen good governance, and support preventive measures against corruption within public institutions. Preventive measures are a core pillar in confronting these risks, enabling institutions to identify, unpack, and mitigate corruption risks systematically.
Nilfa added that the tool prevents corruption through systematic risk identification and analysis, fostering integrity, transparency, and accountability in decision-making. ACC uses a governance framework comprising risk and indicator identification and analysis, development of mitigation mechanisms, implementation of monitoring systems, and targeting sectors most exposed to corruption risks.
Director General of the Independent Anti-Corruption Bureau (BIANCO) of Madagascar, Gaby Nestor, explained that his country is pursuing rapid and sustainable development through a public policy framework focused on harnessing natural resources for economic growth. However, this exposes Madagascar to governance challenges and corruption risks, particularly in curbing the illicit exploitation of resources.
Nestor stated that the government is strengthening institutional anti-corruption mechanisms using structured assessment tools. The SE Works or SC Works system serves as an analytical framework to evaluate sectors and processes, identifying and implementing mitigation mechanisms to address corruption risks. Priorities include raising public awareness and integrating modern reporting systems like the International Electronic Reporting System (IPCAT).