Agreement Signed at OAS to Strengthen Fight Against Corruption

The Organization of American States (OAS) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) signed an agreement on April 13, 2007 to strengthen the fight against corruption in the Americas. The memorandum of understanding establishes a legal framework in which both entities will work together in anti-corruption efforts as well as state modernisation.

“This has to do with two interrelated and critical issues for the consolidation of democratic governance, economic growth and the social development of our countries,” OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza said during a brief ceremony at the regional body’s headquarters.

In terms of state modernisation, both organisations identified several areas of potential co-operation, including E-government; public employment and management; budgeting and public expenditures; and open government and citizen participation, among others.

On the anti-corruption front, the organisations will work together more closely on issues related to their respective international treaties against corruption—the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, and the OAS Inter-American Convention against Corruption—including prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of corruption crimes.

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OAS presents at the Global Forum V on Fighting Corruption

Dr. Jorge García-González, Director of the OAS Office of Legal Cooperation, gave a presentation on the Inter-American Convention against Corruption and its Follow-up Mechanism (MESICIC) at the Global Forum V on Fighting Corruption and Safeguarding Integrity, held from 2-5 April 2007 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The conference theme was 'Fulfilling our Commitments: Effective Action against Corruption'.

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