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COMMENTARY: Measurement Brings Action - The Need for a Global Sexual Corruption Index . "[Despite increasing recognition that] sexual corruption is indeed corruption—the abuse of public power for private gain—the major international indexes used to measure corruption, such as TI’s corruption perception index (CPI) (and the underlying studies used to generate the CPI), focus overwhelmingly on material corruption—principally monetary bribery and embezzlement—not the abuse of public power to extort sexual favors from victims. Read the commentary by Sarah Gitlin, in the Global Anticorruption Blog. http://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2016/03/21/measurement-brings-action-the-need-for-a-global-sexual-corruption-index/ INFO: Can technology cut corruption in India? In 2015 India ranked 76th in TI's Corruption Perception Index, which is still a long way to go, but might adapting more technology be helping India to slowly clean up its act as well as its image? Watch the video re...

INFO: New powers mooted for Australian state's corruption and financial watchdogs.   Victoria's anti-corruption and integrity bodies are set for a shake-up with greater powers and changes to their functions being considered. Read the story by Benjamin Preiss, in The Age: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/new-powers-mooted-for-victorian-corruption-and-financial-watchdogs-20160328-gnsb26.html COMMENTARY: The Roles of Anticorruption Academics and Advocates: Insights from the NGO Side .  "Despite our shared interests in understanding and fighting corruption, there’s often quite a gulf between the academic and advocacy communities." Read the post by Matthew Stephenson, in the Global Anticorruption Blog: http://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2016/03/29/the-roles-of-anticorruption-academics-and-advocates-insights-from-the-ngo-side/ I NFO: Indian firms say they pay 50% of cost as bribes .  Indian firms pay 50 per cent of total project cost, on an average, as bribes to speed u...

INFO: Chinese judiciary vows to keep up "high pressure" on corruption . China's judicial authorities said the country will continue to maintain "high pressure" on corruption as authorities press on with an over three-year-old anti-graft drive. Read the story in Xinhua. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-03/13/c_135183278.htm INFO: Corrupt officials move money through Hong Kong, says Chinese anti-corruption official . Hong Kong is one of the channels used by corrupt officials to transfer money abroad, the director of the International Cooperation Bureau of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) Liu Jianchao has told reporters, adding that there is potential for collaboration between Hong Kong’s ICAC and the bureau. Read the story by Hermina Wong, in Hong Kong Free Press. https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/03/13/corrupt-officials-move-money-through-hong-kong-says-chinese-anti-corruption-official/ INFO: Maldives graft watchdog says no in...

If clicking a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar instead. COMMENTARY: Does Compulsory Voting Increase or Decrease Corruption? (Preliminary Thoughts)." [This] seems to me an interesting question, and I can see a few arguments cutting both ways. So, without reaching any firm conclusions, let me first sketch out a few reasons why compulsory voting might reduce corruption, and then suggest a few reasons why compulsory voting might increase corruption." Read the post by Matthew Stephenson, editor in chief, the Global Anticorruption Blog. http://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2016/03/15/does-compulsory-voting-increase-or-decrease-corruption-preliminary-thoughts/ INFO: Cooperation between Laos and South Korea to combat money laundering and terrorism-financing. On 16 December 2015, the Anti-Money Laundering Intelligence Unit (“AMLIU”) under the Bank of the Lao PDR and the Korea Financial Intelligence Unit (“KOFIU”) signed a memor...

AP-INTACT shares the following information strictly as a service to members. To know more, please email the contact person or click the links below. Please do not send your query to AP-INTACT. AP-INTACT is not responsible for the accuracy of the posted information, including links to web pages, and is not involved in any way in the selection practices and decisions of the sponsoring organisation. If clicking a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar instead. ===================================================================   The Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme India has developed a national-level pool of trainers to conduct training on two thematic areas: Leadership Skills and Ethics. The pool of trainers brings with it the skills and experience of retired and serving officers and faculty of government training institutes. The pool consists o...

P a c i f i c   A n t i - C o r r u p t i o n   U p d a t e s From the UN Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption (UN-PRAC) Project, a joint four-year initiative of the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, with support from the Australian Government. Updates shared by Annika Wythes, Luisa Senibulu, Samita Singh, and Mihaela Stojkoska. Samoa: Newly elected MP faces bribery allegations.  One of Samoa's newly elected woman MPs, Aliimalemanu Alofa Tuu'au, is facing allegations of bribery.   http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/299614/newly-elected-samoa-mp-faces-bribery-allegations Marshall Islands: Audit shows corrupt practices rife at environmental agency.  Marshall Islands Environmental Protection Authority management and staff used public money to buy air conditioners for their homes, cell phone cards, and food from local stores where EPA had accounts, the latest auditor general report to...

INFO: EU launches anti-corruption campaign in Afghanistan. The EU delegation in Afghanistan has launched a seven-week campaign to raise public awareness about corruption and its ills, including a high-level conference in early May, to help Afghans combat graft and mobilize support for government action against corruption. Read the story by Zabihullah Tamanna, in Anadolu Agency. http://aa.com.tr/en/world/eu-launches-anti-corruption-campaign-in-afghanistan/537165 COMMENTARY: Breaking illusion of corruption eradication [in Indonesia]. "Many believe that corruption in Indonesia is still as pervasive as ever. One major indicator of this is the alleged continuous weakening of the nation’s anticorruption agency, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK)." Read the op-ed by Hendi Yogi Prabowo, director of the Center for Forensic Accounting Studies at the Islamic University of Indonesia, Yogyakarta, in The Jakarta Post. http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/03/15/breaking-illusi...

INFO: Russia needs Singapore's assistance to eradicate corruption. "Singapore's experience in economic, social and political development, including the struggle against corruption, enjoys demand in the world and in Russia too," said Chairman of the Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko in an article in The Kommersant. Read the article in Pravda Report. http://www.pravdareport.com/news/russia/economics/17-03-2016/133842-russia_corruption-0/ COMMENTARY: What Others Can Take from Anticorruption Litigation in India. "There is much in the Indian experience of value to lawyers in other nations.  Since the late 1990s Indian courts have issued a series of extraordinary, precedent setting decisions to address the rampant corruption that infects India’s public sector.  In response to cases brought by civil society, they have ordered law enforcement authorities to investigate grand corruption cases they had been ignoring, appointed civil society monitors to ensure the i...

TRAINING EVENT: Evaluating and Monitoring Anti-Corruption Reforms and Programs - Asian Development Bank. 21-23 March 2016, ADB Headquarters, Manila, Philippines. Organized by the German Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), ADB, and the Government of the Philippines’ Office of the Ombudsman, the training aims to (i) develop a common understanding of methodologies for monitoring and evaluating anticorruption projects and programs, including its relevance for governance risk assessments and mitigation measures; (ii) examine existing and potential anticorruption strategies to mitigate corruption risks using the Philippines as a case study; and, (iii) formulate concrete recommendations for how to improve corruption risk mitigation measures in the Asia-Pacific region. For more information, please visit: http://www.adb.org/news/events/evaluating-and-monitoring-anti-corruption-reforms-and-programs?utm_source=daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=alerts INFO: Women forc...

--> If clicking a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar instead. INFO: These 5 Cases Explain the State of Global Corruption .  You can learn a lot about a country’s politics by looking closely at its corruption scandals. Read the article by Ian Bremmer, in Fortune: http://fortune.com/2016/03/18/these-5-cases-explain-the-state-of-global-corruption/ INFO: Iran tycoon's death sentence feeds perceptions of high-level corruption .  Iran's planned execution of billionaire Babak Zanjani for corruption will mask the identity of senior officials who supported him, say the president and two lawmakers independently assessing a case that has fueled public cynicism about political graft. Read the story by Babak Dehghanpisheh, in Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-economy-zanjani-insight-idUSKCN0WJ1KM INFO: Zero Rupee note to fight corruption in India .  To help fight corruption, an India NGO plans...

United States: MasterCard Gets Treasury Violation Notice for Iran Bank Accounts Published on Mar 17, 2016 09:30 pm     United States: Obama slaps new sanctions on North Korea after tests Published on Mar 17, 2016 09:00 pm     Argentina: AP Interview: Argentine Leader Says Outraged by Corruption Published on Mar 17, 2016 08:30 pm     India: Louis Berger bribery case: Probe not yet completed, says Goa Chief Minister Published on Mar 17, 2016 08:00 pm     South Africa: South African official says family offered him cabinet post Published on Mar 17, 2016 07:30 pm     China: China reaffirms its commitment to North Korea sanctions Published on Mar 17, 2016 07:00 pm     United States: FIFA files for compensation in US as victim of corrupt officials, admits taking World Cup bribes Published on Mar 17, 2016 06:30 pm     South Korea: Seoul drops the hammer on university sports cor...

18 March 2016 Today's top story Brazil: Brazil protests: Rousseff and Lula supporters rally amid corruption claims The Guardian At the end of a week of extraordinary political drama, constitutional chaos and massive anti-government protests, supporters of Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff and her predecessor, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, will rally in cities across the country on Friday. More news Global: South Africa wants FIFA to retract accusations of bribery Associated Press Canada: C...

WSJ - Corruption Currents: Fried Chicken Lands Romanian Politician in Greasy Situation (18 March 2016). By Ben DiPietro. http://blogs.wsj.com/riskandcompliance/2016/03/18/corruption-currents-fried-chicken-lands-romanian-politician-in-greasy-situation/

If clicking a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar instead. Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates From the UN Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption (UN-PRAC) Project, a joint four-year initiative of the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, with support from the Australian Government. Updates shared by Annika Wythes, Luisa Senibulu, Samita Singh, and Mihaela Stojkoska. Samoa: Easing MPs into their new role . UN Women and UNDP, in partnership with the Office of the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly of Samoa and other government ministries, have prepared a training session for the members of Samoa's Cabinet on the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. Read the UNDP news release, in Scoop:   http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO1603/S00035/easing-the-mps-into-their-new-role.htm Vanuatu: Conspiracy case decision . The Magistrate Court in Vanuatu will decide...

If clicking a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar instead. COMMENTARY: Why Singapore's businesses must double-down on due diligence and corporate compliance . "For Singapore-based firms working across borders, the lure of a unified ASEAN marketplace presents cross-border trade opportunities that are important and lucrative, but also highlights challenges, particularly when maintaining a consistent due diligence process."
 Read the commentary by Leas Bachatene, in Singapore Business: http://sbr.com.sg/economy/commentary/why-singapores-businesses-must-double-down-due-diligence-and-corporate-compliance COMMENTARY: A Promising New Tool To Fight Corruption . "[A High Level Reporting Mechanism or HLRM] provides a reporting channel that companies can use to report corrupt behavior they encounter during a public process, such as a tender. An HLRM presents an alternative mechanism to companies wh...

INFO: $100-M laundering via banks, casinos probed . Financial regulators are investigating what could be the biggest single money laundering activity ever uncovered in the Philippines—a total of $100 million that was brought into the country’s banking system, sold to a black market foreign exchange broker, transferred to at least three large local casinos, sold back to the money broker, and moved out to overseas accounts, all in a matter of days.
 Read the story by Daxim Lucas, in Philippine Daily Inquirer: http://business.inquirer.net/207742/100-m-laundering-via-ph-banks-casinos-probed 
 INFO: APEC members want punishment for bribery instituted . Members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Forum (APEC) said during the 22nd meeting of APEC’s Anti-Corruption and Transparency Working Group that bribery in international trade transactions should be punished.
 Read the Xinhua story, in News Ghana: http://www.newsghana.com.gh/apec-members-wants-punishment-for-bribery-institu...

If clicking a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar instead. INFO: More open sessions reveal China’s improved information disclosure.  China’s progress in information disclosure and political democracy is accelerating as this year’s annual National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference granted more access to the media, journalists reporting on the meetings were quoted as saying. Read the story by Zhang Shuo, in Manila Bulletin. http://www.mb.com.ph/more-open-sessions-reveal-chinas-improved-information-disclosure/ INFO: ‘Casinos weak link vs laundering’ in Philippines.  The casino industry is a weak link in the Philippines’ effort to stop money laundering and terror financing, the US State Department’s International Narcotics Control Strategy Report said. Read the story by Pia Lee-Brago, in The Philippine Star. http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2016/03/05/155959...

If clicking a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar instead. P a c i f i c   A n t i - C o r r u p t i o n   U p d a t e s From the UN Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption (UN-PRAC) Project, a joint four-year initiative of the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, with support from the Australian Government. Updates shared by Annika Wythes, Luisa Senibulu, Samita Singh, and Mihaela Stojkoska. Nauru: MPs Work with Community on New Leadership Code. Community consultation is being fully embraced by Parliamentarians on Nauru – the world’s smallest island state with just 10,000 residents, as they establish their nation’s first Leadership Code. http://www.anti-corruption.org/index.php/en/news/82-news/499-nauru-parliamentarians-leadership-code Nauru community takes up Accountability role. Thirty-five local civil society leaders met in Nauru on the wee...