AP-INTACT

Public Integrity for an Effective COVID-19 Response and Recovery (Policy Note).  "The COVID-19 crisis creates opportunities for many integrity violations, particularly in public procurement, economic stimulus packages and public organisations, undermining government action. How can these risks be addressed?"      OECD:  https://lnkd.in/eTJ8d8E   #covid19         Campaigners call for transparency in Myanmar timber trade after 850 tons of wood seized.  “Despite a crackdown on illegal logging on the border between northern Myanmar and China’s Yunnan province last year, earlier this month Myanmar announced it seized 850 tons of teak and other timber it says were illegally logged in the week up to April 5. The seizures – and lack of data on the timber, the location of the logging and final destination of the wood – has raised fresh questions over transparency in the timber sector from campaigners.     Michael  Tatarski  /  Mongab

Keeping transparency on track (Opinion).  “Drawing on a survey of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on EITI implementation in 53 countries, we examine the threats to resource transparency from the pandemic and offer some ideas on what it will take to keep transparency on track.”     EITI:  https://eiti.org/blog/keeping-transparency-on-track         Anti-Corruption Strategies for Development Agencies During the Covid-19 Pandemic (Anti-Corruption Helpdesk Brief).   “After surveying evidence of the extent and impact of corruption in humanitarian crises, this Helpdesk Answer considers the particular challenges to anti-corruption efforts posed by the COVID-19 outbreak. Concerningly, the health sector is particularly vulnerable to corruption; it is estimated that at least US$455 billion of the US$7.35 trillion spent on healthcare per year is lost to fraud and corruption.”     Matthew Jenkins/ Aram  Khaghaghordyan  /  Kaunain  Rahm

Weakened KPK may face hurdles in probing social aid graft: Activists.  ““If the COVID-19 aid funds are misused by state officials, such as regents, mayors, governors or ministers and their respective deputies, it will be difficult because [the KPK] is very procedural it needs to report to the President in handling those cases,” Former KPK deputy chief  Mochammad  Jasin said during a virtual discussion held by Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW)”     The Jakarta Post:  https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2020/04/24/weakened-kpk-may-face-hurdles-in-probing-social-aid-graft-activists.html       COVID-19 and Corruption: The View from South Asia (Webinar).  “Please join a discussion organized by CIPE’s Anti-Corruption & Governance Center and Accountability Lab on Wednesday, April 29th from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM EST. The session will feature an overview of issues in the region from well recognized South Asia expert and Illinois State University pro

How Asean countries can turn the tide on corruption (Opinion).  “As economies start to look towards the future again, they have an opportunity to tackle corruption at the same time: if Asean countries can  mobilise  to defeat coronavirus, they can do the same for corruption.”     Brook Horowitz / Financial Times:  https://www.ft.com/content/ef7426be-7500-11ea-90ce-5fb6c07a27f2       Open Response, Open Recovery.  “The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled governments and citizens alike to take unprecedented, mitigating actions. In their shared struggle, mutual trust between government and citizenry can be key for successful, mutually-reinforcing response and recovery.”     Sanjay Pradhan / Open Government Partnership:  https://www.opengovpartnership.org/stories/open-response-open-recovery/       Seven held in four mask fraud cases.  “Immigration police have arrested seven people in separate raids for public fraud over

Open fiscal data can boost trust in pandemic response (Opinion).   “[Indonesia’s] President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s calls for greater transparency in the government response to COVID-19 has offered new hope in the face of national disaster. (..) Improved transparency may boost solidarity to the government endeavors in this turbulent time. Conversely, the lack of openness may perpetuate a false sense of security, misinformation and harmful actions. It could also trigger contagious anxiety, leading to the stigmatization of the COVID-19 victims and patients.”     Citra  Handayani Nasruddin  / Jakarta Post:  https://www.thejakartapost.com/academia/2020/04/23/open-fiscal-data-can-boost-trust-in-pandemic-response.html       COVID-19: A perfect storm for the corrupt? (Opinion)  “Given the gaps and weaknesses in anti-money laundering systems of various countries, it is likely that corrupt individuals will continue to rely on existing mechanisms

Accountability & Prevention of Corruption in the allocation and distribution of emergency economic rescue packages in the context & aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic (Policy Brief) . “In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to be mindful that the purpose of the recent economic responses made by Member States are not intended to provoke economic stimulus activity, as would happen in times of cyclical recession, but rather, to prevent economic catastrophe and provide financial, medical and social support to the poor, the elderly, women and youth, people with disabilities, the unemployed, SMEs4 and those lacking access to social and public services”.     UNODC:  https://www.unodc.org/documents/Advocacy-Section/COVID-19_and_Anti-Corruption-2.pdf       After  Luckin  fiasco, China set to pre-empt financial frauds.  “China is planning more stringent measures to safeguard investors from securities fraud, as the recent  Luck

Corruption can have no place in our COVID-19 recovery (Opinion).  “ Governments, businesses, civil-society organizations and citizens are facing an unprecedented challenge and are asked to be resilient and find effective measures to address the health and non-health-related implications of COVID-19. As this unparalleled crisis puts healthcare systems, people’s safety and the economy under strain, it is imperative that transparency and accountability remain at the heart of the global response. This generation will be judged on how this situation is handled, and we need to make sure good governance is at the core of a new social and economic order.”     Lisa Ventura / WEF:  https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/corruption-no-place-covid-coronavirus-recovery/       Look Out, Corruption Ahead (Opinion).  As the country mobilizes resources to address the pandemic, politicians and corporations may attempt to exploit the crisis to enrich themselv

Only 59% of Malaysia public listed companies have anti-corruption policies in place.  “The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) (…) said in its 2019 annual report, which was released today, that it had reviewed the anti-corruption policies of listed companies in light of the corporate liability provision (Section 17A3) in the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which comes into force on June 1, 2020. "The review found that only 59% of listed companies had anti-corruption policies in place, and  the majority of these policies required enhancements to bring them in line with the Guidelines on Adequate Procedures issued by the Prime Minister’s Department ”.”     Muhammed Ahmad Hamdan / The Edge Markets:  https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/sc-only-59-malaysia-public-listed-companies-have-anticorruption-policies-place       IMF: spend what you can to fight Covid- 19 but  keep the receipts.  “Kristalina Georgieva, the fund’

How Will the Coronavirus Reshape Democracy and Governance Globally?  “Corruption undermines the effectiveness of public health responses, particularly if valuable resources are diverted from high-need areas or citizens are denied treatment if they refuse to pay bribes. (…) However, the crisis could also end up spurring new anticorruption measures. If corruption spikes rapidly when governments implement crisis measures, widespread public outrage may catalyze reforms that improve health governance and public accountability.”     Frances Z. Brown / Saskia  Brechenmacher  / Thomas Carothers / Carnegie Endowment for International Peace:  https://bit.ly/3beYeEE       US returns US$300m of 1MDB funds to Malaysia.  "The amount of money stolen from the people of Malaysia is staggering, and we have been relentless in recovering assets that always should have been used for their benefit." said US Attorney Nick Hanna in a statement.  

Corruption Warnings Increase as Governments Respond to COVID-19 Pandemic (Opinion).  “  National governments are under enormous pressure to fast-track emergency relief and purchase essential supplies to stem the tide of the COVID-19 pandemic. But as officials ramp up emergency responses, watch  dogs and experts are sounding the alarm over the ballooning risks of corruption and misappropriation during the crisis.”     Benjamin Schmidt / CIPE:  https://acgc.cipe.org/business-of-integrity-blog/corruption-warnings-increase-as-governments-respond-to-covid-19-pandemic/       Panama Papers Four Years On: Anonymous Companies a nd  Global Wealth.  “Four years, countless scandals and a Netflix movie later, there has been significant  progress  but tax justice and corporate secrecy continue to be pressing problems. Abuse of anonymous shell companies is among the reasons why many countries are facing greater challenges today in the face of the COVID-19

Two Judges Call for an International Anti-Graft Court.  Two prominent judges said on Thursday (9 April) that with billions being poured into the fight against the coronavirus, the world needs now more than ever an International Anti-Corruption Court (IACC) “to punish and deter kleptocrats who enjoy impunity in the countries they rule.”     Zdravko Ljubas/ OCCRP:  https://www.occrp.org/en/daily/12056-two-judges-call-for-an-international-anti-graft-court       Iraq's designated prime minister says to control arms, fight corruption. “ Iraq’s designated prime minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi said on Thursday that arms should only be in government’s hands. The designated PM (…) also said in a televised speech the key objectives for his government will be to fight corruption and return displaced people back home.”     Reuters:  https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-politics/iraqs-designated-prime-minister-says-to-control-arms-fight-c

Graft concerns overshadow COVID-19 relief fund.  “Antigraft activists have called on the (Indonesian) government to be transparent in the disbursement of the recently unveiled  Rp  405.1 trillion (US$24.68 billion) COVID-19 economic stimulus in order to avoid the pitfalls of past corruption cases in 2008 and in 1998.”     Moch.  Fiqih Prawira Adjie  / The Jakarta Post:  https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2020/04/11/graft-concerns-overshadow-covid-19-relief-fund.html       Graft fear for B1.97tn virus aid.  “Thailand's 1.97  trillion baht  plan to mitigate against a further economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic has raised concerns over the potential for embezzlement as large sums of money change hands between the government, businesses and local villages.”     Bangkok Post:  https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1898340/graft-fear-for-b1-97tn-virus-aid       The lessons Portugal co