12 May 2009.

Today an UNCAC Coalition Statement, signed by 128 organisations from 47 countries, was presented to the UNCAC delegates to the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Review Mechanism meeting in Vienna.

1. Corruption undermines democracy, the rule of law, human rights, civil liberties and sustainable development.
2. The UNCAC Coalition (the Coalition) believes that the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), with its worldwide membership and comprehensive anti-corruption framework, is key to dealing effectively with global corruption.
3. The Coalition is convinced that UNCAC’s success in reducing corruption on-the-ground will depend greatly on the adoption of an effective and participatory review mechanism at the next Conference of the State Parties (COSP) in Doha, in November 2009.
4. Such a review mechanism is also vital for the success of UNCAC’s landmark provisions on asset recovery and the assessment of countries’ technical assistance needs, as well as for strengthening international cooperation and enhancing the responsiveness of governments to their citizens.
5. The Coalition underlines the importance of civil society and its engagement in any review process and reminds Governments of the commitments they have made to support civil society participation and to receive civil society inputs (UNCAC, Article 13; Rules of Procedure, Rule 17).
6. For these reasons, the Coalition considers that the review mechanism should be comprehensive, covering both mandatory and non-mandatory articles, and also:
   • supported by a well-resourced secretariat;
   • assisted by a group of independent experts;
   • based on tested review methods, including peer review and country visits.
   • participatory, involving civil society organisations and other stakeholders;
   • transparent, resulting in published country reports with recommendations; and
   • carried out in coordination with regional review mechanisms;
   • funded from the regular UN budget or assessed contributions, supplemented as needed by voluntary contributions.
7. The Coalition hereby calls on Governments, meeting in Vienna in May 2009 as part of the Intergovernmental Working Group on Review of Implementation, to ensure that the necessary preparatory work is carried out, over the coming weeks and months, for an effective review mechanism to be adopted at the COSP, in Doha, in November 2009.
8. Without an effective review mechanism, UNCAC will surely fail, with devastating consequences for the lives and livelihoods of citizens around the world and for the credibility of signatory Governments and the United Nations.

List of signatory organisations

International

• Access Info Europe
• Anti-Slavery International
• Article 19
• Christian Aid
• CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation
• Commonwealth Lawyers Association
• Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative
• Financial Intelligence Center
• GAATW — Global Alliance against Traffic in Women
• Global Witness
• HELIO International
• IANSA – International Action network on Small Arms
• International Law Association
• Islamic Relief Worldwide
• Tax Justice Network
• Tiri – Making Integrity Work
• Transparency International
• U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre
• UNICORN

Albania

• Center for Development and Democratization of Institutions

Algeria

• National Independent Union of Public Administration Staff (SNAPAP)

Argentina

• Fundación Mujeres en Igualdad
• Grupo Justicia y Género del Centro Interdisciplinario para el Estudio de Políticas Públicas -Ciepp
• Poder Ciudadano

Armenia

• Transparency International Anti-corruption Center (TI Armenia)

Australia

• Act for peace, National Council of Churches in Australia
• Australian Council for International Development
• Make Poverty History Australia
• Micah Challenge Australia
• Oaktree Foundation
• Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, Uniting Church
• Uniting Justice Australia, Uniting Church in Australia
• World Vision Australia

Bangladesh

• Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC)
• BRAC University Institute on Governance Studies
• TI Bangladesh

Cameroon

• Fondation Humanus
• Global Network for Good Governance
• TI Cameroon

Chile

• Chile Transparente

Croatia

• Partnership for Social Development

Denmark

• Hopenow
• TI Denmark

Egypt

• Afro-Egyptian Human Rights Organization, Egypt (AEHRO)
• Egyptians against Corruption

France

• Sherpa
• Survie
• TI France

Georgia

• Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center (TraCCC)
• TI Georgia

Greece

• Centre for European Constitutional Law
• TI Greece

Guatemala

• Acción Ciudadana

Guinea

• Association Guineene pour la transparence
• Stat View International

India

• TI India

Indonesia

• Indonesia Corruption Watch
• Partnership for Governance Reform
• TI Indonesia

Iraq

• Iraqi Centre for Transparency & Anti corruption (ICTAC)

Ireland

• CORI Justice
• Dóchas, the Irish Association of Non-Governmental Development Organisations
• TI Ireland
• World Vision Ireland
• TRÓCAIRe

Israel

• TI Israel

Kenya

• Africa Centre for Open Governance (AfriCOG)
• TI Kenya

Lebanon

• TI Lebanon

Liberia

• Actions for Genuine Democratic Alternatives (AGENDA)
• Center for Transparency & Accountability, Liberia (CENTAL)

Lithuania

• TI Lithuania

Macedonia

• Foundation Open Society Institute
• Transparentnost Macedonia
• Youth Education Forum

Madagascar

• TI Madagascar

Mexico

• TI Mexico
• Montenegro
• The Network for Affirmation of the NGO Sector, Montenegro (MANS)

Morocco

• Arab Freedom of Information Network (AFOINET)
• Transparence Maroc

Nepal

• Citizens’ Campaign for Right to Information (CCRI)

Netherlands – Aruba

• Rainbow Warriors Core Foundation

Nigeria

• African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ)
• African Youth Empowerment, Nigeria
• Blossom Nigeria Project
• Centre for the Advancement of Democracy
• Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, Nigeria
• Media Rights Agenda
• Transparency in Nigeria
• Women’s Right to Education Programme
• Zero Corruption Coalition

Pakistan

• TI Pakistan

Panama

• TI Panama

Philippines

• Affiliated Network for Social Accountability, East Asia Pacific (ANSA)
• Ateneo School of Government
• Barug Pilipino
• Bishops-Businessmen’s Conference
• Caucus of NGO Networks
• CBCP-Council of the Laity
• CBCP-National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace
• Coalition against Corruption
• Integrated Bar of the Philippines
• Makati Business Club
• Management Association of the Philippines
• National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections
• Public Sevices Labor Independent Confederation (PSLINK)
• Transparency and Accountability Network
• Ummah Fi Salam

Slovakia

• Open Society Foundation

South Africa

• Institute for Security Studies (ISS), Corruption and Governance Programme

Spain

• SUSTENTIA

Sudan

• National Center for Peace and Development

Timor Leste

• Luta Hamutuk

Uganda

• Water Governance Institute (WGI)

United Kingdom

• Protimos
• Tearfund
• TI United Kingdom

United States

• Freedominfo.org
• TI USA

Venezuela

• Transparencia Venezuela

Zambia

• TI Zambia

Zimbabwe

• HURIDETSA