As the world honor the tireless efforts of activists around the world on International Anticorruption Day, the United States of America today said 2012 was a successful year in the global fight against corruption.
In her remarks in Washington DC, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says since its inception last year, the Open Government Partnership has grown sevenfold and now includes 58 countries representing a quarter of the world’s population, encouraging greater access to information, citizen engagement, and fiscal transparency.
Ms. Clinton says the United States and the world’s largest economies have been leading by example, as the G20 created an ambitious anticorruption action plan for the next two years and adopted principles to keep corrupt officials away from our borders.
“While much work remains, 2012 was a successful year in the global fight against corruption.” – Ms. Clinton
Under the U.S. presidency, the G8 joined regional partners to convene the first Arab Forum on Asset Recovery in order to help identify and recover proceeds of corruption stowed abroad, she highlighted.
“The United States is committed to preventing corruption and the destructive impact it has on communities around the globe.” – Ms. Clinton
She states that with US partners, the US government is working to promote legal regimes that prosecute corrupt actors, recover the proceeds of corruption and other illicitly acquired assets, and fight other crimes such as money laundering.
In addition, the United States is proud to be a partner in the global fight to combat corruption and applauds all those working to sustain transparent, open societies around the world.”
Open Government Partnership (OGP) will increase government transparency world-wide and make government more responsive to citizens.
OGP is the core of democracy and is essential for both reinforcing rule of law and reducing corruption.” -Ms. Schriefer
The US asserts that corruption kills a country’s potential. It drains resources.
US believes that countries that have strong rule of law are better equipped than autocracies to offer constructive outlets for political grievances and create opportunities for mobility and prosperity that provide alternatives to violent extremism, a danger that we have personally felt all too closely in recent days.
The US asserts that the rule of law and transitional justice are critical in preventing conflict and atrocities and rebuilding societies torn apart by systemic violence.
US believes that strengthening the rule of law requires more than technical expertise. It also requires political will and coordinated action by a wide range of international actors.
The United States, together with its partners, enthusiastically supports initiatives in states such as the DRC, Cote d’Ivoire, and elsewhere to bolster domestic capacities to investigate and prosecute atrocity crimes and to build justice systems that can deliver fair, impartial justice.
