General Assembly Special Session on Corruption

Note: A complete summary of today's General Assembly meetings will be made available after their conclusion.

Opening Remarks

VOLKAN BOZKIR (Turkey), President of the General Assembly, said corruption corrodes public trust, weakens the rule of law, seeds conflict, destabilizes peacebuilding efforts, undermines human rights, impedes progress on gender equality and hinders efforts to achieve the targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It also hits the poor, the marginalized and the most vulnerable the hardest. For all those reasons, the world cannot - and will not - allow corruption to continue. Calling on parties to redouble their efforts and build upon progress already achieved, he said United Nations Member States have adopted the Conventions against Transnational Organized Crime and against Corruption and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development. They also convened the High-Level Panel on International Financial Accountability, Transparency and Integrity for Achieving the 2030 Agenda.

The Political Declaration to be adopted today builds upon that existing architecture, he said, noting that it will provide the international community with a road map for countering corruption in the future. It will also help guide countries as they work to fight money-laundering and illicit financial flows - which derail progress on sustainable development - and in critical efforts to recover assets. 'Corruption thrives in a crisis,' he said, noting that 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, efforts which undoubtedly saved lives. However, they inadvertently led to gaps in compliance, transparency, oversight and accountability, which were exploited by the most corrupt actors. The Assembly's special session comes at a critical moment as humanity works to roll out a complex global vaccination programme.

Against that backdrop, he urged policymakers to leverage the special session to take concrete measures to prevent and address corruption, emphasizing that recovering from the present global economic downturn will require concerted efforts and vigilance to end corruption. '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,' he stressed.

AMINA J. MOHAMMED, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, said the international community is beginning the Decade of Action for the Sustainable Development Goals behind on its promise, as inequalities and injustices laid bare by the pandemic are further compounded by corruption. 'This special session acknowledges the need for Member States to restore public trust and faith in the social contract by taking concrete action to eliminate corruption,' she assured.

Recent social protests have sent the clear message that people will not tolerate cynical, corrupt practices, she said. They are demanding transformation of legal, political, economic and social structures that have long been indifferent to accountability and transparency. Stressing that corruption in public service delivery increases costs, lowers quality and distorts the allocation of resources, she said the vulnerable bear the brunt, as bribery makes basic services available only to those able to pay. Corruption also disproportionately impacts women, limiting their access to public resources, information and decision-making. It fosters organized crime and the exploitation of natural resources.

Moreover, she said inadequate oversight and transparency during the COVID-19 crisis has led to the diversion of funds from those most in need, while those who unveil corrupt practices risk retaliation and reprisal. The special session is an opportunity to chart a different path forward through a transparent, inclusive and accountable approach to governance that will strengthen the social contract between State and people. The United Nations System Common Position on Corruption - designed to coordinate the Organization's support for Member States - sets out measures that will integrate anti-corruption in national, local and sectoral work more effectively. 'Expectations are high,' she said. 'I encourage you to lead by example, by realizing the commitments you have made in the draft declaration, with the support of the United Nations system.'

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