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14th IRG

Last updated: 13  July 2023

The 14th session of the Implementation Review Group (IRG), as well as meetings of the UNCAC Working Group on Prevention, took place in the week of 12-16 June 2023. 

UNCAC Coalition submissions to the 14th IRG

The UNCAC Coalition has made several written submissions to the IRG. Our submissions are thematic, draw on our work and include recommendations for States Parties to advance the fight against corruption:

Annual UNCAC NGO Briefing: Tuesday, 13 June

The annual briefing for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) by UNODC on the outcomes of the UNCAC review process and thematic reports will take place on 13 June 2023, from 13:15 to 15:00 in Boardroom D, Vienna International center & online. 

The meeting will be open to CoSP9-accredited and other relevant CSOs that received individual invitations. Remote participants will receive a Microsoft Teams link from UNODC shortly before the meeting.

  • Read our summary of the NGO briefing here
  • Programme of the NGO briefing 2023 (download .pdf)

The annual NGO briefing is the only formal opportunity for civil society representatives to engage with the UNCAC Secretariat (UNODC) and representatives of States Parties in-between sessions of the UNCAC Conference of the States Parties: NGO representatives can pose questions to the UNCAC Secretariat, highlight their UNCAC-related work, as well as general findings and concerns, and engage with participating representatives of States Parties. During the briefing, the Secretariat will brief participants on the UNCAC review mechanism and on thematic reports on the implementation of the Convention. In line with UNCAC CoSP resolution 4/6, no specific country situations can be discussed during the briefing.

Civil Society Events during IRG week 2023

The use of indirect return mechanisms in Asset Recovery 

Organized by the Civil Forum for Asset Recovery (CiFAR), REDRESS and the UNCAC Coalition, sponsored by France.

Time & Location: Monday, 12 June, 14.00-15.00 CEST, Room M2, Vienna International Center and online (register here). 

Event objective: Indirect return mechanisms describe the practice of returning recovered money across borders indirectly via third-party entities that stand between cooperating governments. These third-party entities have both been called in to aid in the negotiations, as well as in the process of the distribution of the returned assets, especially in situations where a direct return has been complex. Examples of this have included the BOTA foundation, returns via the World Bank and disbursement through non-governmental organizations.

Ahead of the 10th session of the UNCAC CoSP, this government-CSO side event will discuss the use of these indirect return mechanisms to date, exploring in particular how this use has developed over time, the different characteristics and forms used, and the opportunities and challenges they present. It will further reflect on important considerations in using these mechanisms in key returning jurisdictions. The aim of this event will be to also identify points for further discussion at the next UNCAC CoSP.  

List of speakers:

  • Caroline Goussé, Special Assistant on anticorruption and Legal Advisor to the Economic Diplomacy Directorate, Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, France
  • Andrea Iff,  Specialist on Asset Recovery at the Swiss Development and Cooperation Agency (SDC)
  • Teresa Turner-Jones, Senior Trial Attorney at the US Department of Justice in the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), International Unit
  • Lucia Cizmaziova, Civil Forum for Asset Recovery (CiFAR)
  • Lucas Olo Fernandes, EG Justice
  • Sara Brimbeuf, Transparency International France

Moderator: Lucia Coerman, REDRESS

Approaching the end of the UNCAC IRM’s first phase: opportunities to advance the anti-corruption agenda

Organized by the UNCAC Coalition, sponsored by the UK.

Time & Location: Tuesday, 13 June, 09.00-10.00 CEST, Room M2, Vienna International Center and online (register here). 

Event objective: The event will present proposals to improve the UNCAC Implementation Review Mechanism’s (UNCAC IRM) effectiveness and raise awareness of the importance and benefits of increasing its inclusiveness and transparency. The UNCAC IRM is currently in the second cycle of its first phase, with 121 country reviews yet to be completed. While the second cycle will most likely be extended further to the end of 2025, States parties have begun deliberating the modalities of the IRM’s follow-up phase, which should address country review recommendations from the first phase as well as technical assistance needs.

The IRM has promoted legislative and institutional changes that have led to furthering the purposes of the Convention. However, there are key areas where the IRM could be improved. Addressing shortcomings around the Mechanism’s transparency, inclusiveness, and follow-up measures will improve its effectiveness in strengthening anti-corruption frameworks and their effective implementation.

List of speakers: 

  • Chris Chalmers, Deputy Director, UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
  • Yuambari Haihuie, Deputy Director (Partnerships & Policy), Transparency International Papua New Guinea
  • Aoife Murray, Senior Researcher, International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA)
  • Gillian Dell, Global Advocacy Lead, Transparency International and Co-Chair of the UNCAC Coalition 

Moderator: Mathias Huter, Managing Director, UNCAC Coalition

Strengthening integrity in public procurement through the UNCAC – insights from France and global civic experts

Organized by Open Contracting Partnership (OCP) and the UNCAC Coalition, sponsored by France.

Time & Location: Wednesday, 14 June, 14.00-15.00 CEST, Room M2, Vienna International Center and online (register here). 

Event objective: Procurement is a public administration’s no. 1 corruption risk. It makes up 1 in every 3 dollars of public money spent, totalling over US $13 trillion annually. We know we can reduce the integrity risks in public procurement through digital transformation in support of the UNCAC, but an implementation and impact gap remains. How can we learn from common challenges and make sure that reforms are not only digital but truly transformational? 

Procurement experts from the French public administration, the French Cour des comptes  and from civil society will share how they face this challenge by adapting their approaches (changing their organization and proceedings, using data, technology,and promoting civic participation) to transform the way the public administration does business for stronger integrity, transparency and sustainable development

List of speakers: 

  • Kristen Robinson, Head of Advocacy, Open Contracting Partnership
  • Sébastien Lepers, Deputy head of international relations department of the French Court of Accounts
  • Dominique Dujols, Senior counsellor, liaison officer for the fight against corruption of the French Court of Accounts
  • Pierre Houllemare, Legal consultant at the Procurement economics, statistics and technics office of the Directorate of legal affairs of the French Ministry of Economy and Finance
  • Sandrine Jarry, French State Procurement, Deputy Director, purchasing modernization
  • Kévin Gernier, Advocacy officer, Transparency International France

Moderator:  Caroline Goussé, Special Assistant on anticorruption and Legal Advisor to the Economic Diplomacy Directorate, Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, France 

Promoting transparency and use of beneficial ownership information to prevent and combat corruption

Organized by Open Ownership and the UNCAC Coalition, sponsored by Norway.

Time & Location: Thursday, 15 June, 14.00-15.00 CEST, Room M2, Vienna International Center and online (register here).

Event objective: This event will raise awareness about the importance of and need to strengthen transparency and use of beneficial ownership information to tackle corruption, building upon actions taken at the international level. The event will focus on the following:

  • Outline why beneficial ownership transparency (BOT) is a powerful anti-corruption tool, for both preventing corruption and recovering stolen assets.
  • Examine best practices in establishing and implementing effective beneficial ownership regimes and highlight case studies at the national level showing how transparency and the use of beneficial ownership data is critical to prevent, identify, investigate and prosecute corruption.
  • Discuss progress, tested solutions, challenges, remaining gaps and support needed for BOT and the use of beneficial ownership information by a wide range of stakeholders, including law enforcement, financial intelligence units and other government agencies, civil society organizations, journalists, academics and the private sector.
  • Identify actions needed at UNCAC CoSP 10 that will advance this issue globally. 

List of speakers: 

  • Betzy Marie Ellingsen Tunold, Policy Director at the Department for Partnership and Development Policy Analysis, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway
  • Thom Townsend, Executive Director, Open Ownership
  • Adv Xolisile Khanyile, Director of the FIC, Government of South Africa
  • Kristen Robinson, Head of Advocacy, Open Contracting Partnership
  •  Speaker on behalf of  UNODC (TBC)

Moderator: Mathias Huter, Managing Director, UNCAC Coalition

A global civil society network promoting the implementation and monitoring of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC)