ATC070822: Report Global Forum V

Public Service and Administration

Report of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration on Global Forum V on Fighting Corruption and Safeguarding Integrity, dated 22 August 2007:

1. Introduction

South Africa hosted the Global Forum V on Fighting Corruption and Safeguarding Integrity from 2-5 April 2007 in Johannesburg. The theme of the Forum was “Fulfilling Our Commitments: Effective Action Against Corruption”.  The Forum attracted over 1000 participants including Government Ministers, senior officials, representatives from government agencies dealing with governance, and representatives from NEPAD, the United Nations and the African Union.

The objectives of the conference were:
 

·           To showcase Africa's anti-corruption experiences.

 

·           To highlight the fight against corruption, as a key element of the African initiatives to eradicate poverty.

 

·           To place African countries on the path of sustainable growth and development.

 

Guest speakers included the Honourable President Mbeki and the Honourable Minister Fraser-Moleketi.

2. Delegation

The delegation from the Committee consisted of Hon. PJ Gomomo, MP (ANC) and Hon. U Roopnarian, MP (IFP).

3. Summary of proceedings

The workshop/breakaway sessions dealt with a number of themes and sub-themes. These included the following:

 

·           Strengthening Actions for Effective Implementation of Anti-corruption Measures: Preconditions for Effective Implementation.

 

·           Taking Stock through Monitoring and Evaluation: Monitoring the Prevalence of Corruption.

 

·           Setting the Stage for Non-state actors.

 

·           Law Enforcement.

 

·           Preventative Measures: A National Integrity System.

 

·           Roundtable: Peer Review Mechanisms.

 

The delegates shared their practical experiences. Delegates were from NGOs, academics and experts. Presentations provided participants with an overview and information on integrity, causes and effects of corruption and practical experiences. NGOs included Global Integrity, Transparency International and GRECO Council of Europe’s Group of States Against Corruption.

4. Observations

Participants noted that corruption lies in its ability to implicate, its complicity and its ability to violate the laws of nation states and flout international conventions and treaties. Through the presentations it was evident that losses accrue from a culture of permissiveness with respect to corruption and from corruption itself. Losses are beyond the monetary value: the losses include a loss of revenue, loss of trust, loss of values, loss of credibility and legitimacy and a loss of the democratic ethos and impulse within institutions and organisations. Under conditions of democracy, the state needs to take the lead in preventing, combating and eliminating corruption. The political cost of corruption is that it undermines democracy, weakens state institutions and undermines responsibility, accountability and legitimacy. Corruption alienates citizens from the very officials they have elected and also alienates people from each other. Corruption weakens democratic processes and public order.

Anti-corruption measures have the following preconditions for their success:
 

·           Respect for human rights and freedoms.

 

·           Real political will.

 

·           Appropriate timing of measures.

 

·           Appropriate situation assessment.

 

·           Cooperation between the public and private sectors and civil society.

 

·           Putting prevention before repression, using a graduated approach.

 

·           Transparency and openness of measures.

 

·           Need to have access to government information.

 

5. Key Conference recommendations

The Conference resolved that:
 

·           There is need for better engagement at a political level in order to encourage high-level national support for practical integrity development. Political support remains vital in the fight against corruption and efforts aimed at promoting integrity.

 

·           The importance of the values of integrity, morality and ethics, not only for governmental institutions, bureaucracy, and the private sector, but for the entire society is critical. If these values are inculcated into the whole framework of society, the individual, family, community and the nation are strengthened to counter corruption through the internalisation of a code of ethics and values.

 

·           Preventing and combating corruption should not be conducted by countries in isolation, but that a collective approach is required, e.g. corrupt activities must be fought collectively at a transnational level through the sharing of anti-corruption good practice and exchange of information on policies, practices and measures as well as ways to strengthen co-operation.

 

·           Politicians must provide leadership in preventing and combating corruption, and that leadership has three main tasks, (i) to speak out against corruption, (ii) to provide adequate resources to agencies that deal with corruption and, (iii) to ensure that such agencies have sufficient independence to take action against corruption.

 

·           Corruption must be fought from all fronts, as it is universal in nature. It impacts on investment, business growth and development, creates risks and uncertainty, distorts resource allocation, undermines democracy, exacerbates poverty and integrity and mistrust. Corruption does not promote development, it distorts development.

 

6. Conclusion

Participants expressed their solidarity with and support to the anti-corruption efforts, including safeguarding integrity, undertaken within the framework of the United Nations, and took note with appreciation of the various regional and other efforts undertaken. In their common pursuit of integrity, economic growth, and sustainable development, participants also reaffirmed the call to government leaders for implementation of good governance practices, the promotion of integrity and ethics, and enforcement of anti-corruption measures.