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The OAS Convention – 10 Years Old And Moving Forward
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The OAS Inter-American Convention Against Corruption is the first international agreement to specifically address corruption on every scale. Ten years on, the time is ripe for effective implementation. Civil society is a key contributor to making a reality the anti-corruption commitments of the 33 countries that have signed and ratified the Convention since its inception in 1996. |
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In March 2006, Transparency International presented its recommendations to strengthen the Convention’s monitoring mechanism and to ensure its effectiveness. The countries evaluated in the current round of meetings are: Brazil, Belize, Grenada, Surinam, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. TI has emphasised the need for governments to publicly demonstrate the ways in which they have implemented the OAS Convention in terms of the prevention of corruption and mechanisms for legal cooperation among states. TI also insists that government reports be based not only on a description of legal changes carried out but also on state practices and statistical information reflecting concrete results. |
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An Overview of the Convention The Inter-American Convention Against Corruption (IACAC) emerged from the conviction of governments in the Americas that corruption severely weakens democracies, damages economies and prevents its citizens from improving their lives. |
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This conviction was bolstered by cases of grand corruption in the Americas and by weak national legislation that permitted unequal competition between national and foreign companies bidding for public contracts.To face these challenges on 29 March, 1996 in Caracas, Venezuela, the first international anti-corruption instrument was opened for signing within the framework of the Organisation of American States (OAS).
The OAS is charged with promoting and implementing the Convention, which has been signed and ratified by 33 nations, almost all countries in the hemisphere. Click here to see a list of signatories.
The first international, legal anti-corruption instrument of its kind, the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption served as a model for other anti-corruption conventions, such as the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption.
Most importantly, the Convention represents a regional consensus to develop and implement the following anti-corruption measures:
- requirements for the criminalisation of specific acts of corruption and articles on extradition
- seizure of assets
- mutual legal and technical assistance where corruption occurs or affects member states
- criminalisation of bribery of foreign government officials and illicit enrichment
- a series of preventive measures addressing unethical conduct and bribes
- peer review system among signatories.
Click here to read more about the Convention.
Click here to read more about the peer review system.
Civil society organisations work to make the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption effective
Since the adoption of the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption in 1996, civil society organisations from across the hemisphere have lobbied for its rapid signing, ratification and implementation. These groups also called on OAS Member States to create a follow-up mechanism to the Convention, in order to assure its full implementation in each country. Transparency International (TI), through its National Chapters in the Americas, has led advocacy work at the national and international levels.
Click here to read more about the implementation of the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption.
Transparency International in the framework of the Follow-up Mechanism
Transparency International national chapters across the hemisphere have ongoing programmes aimed at promoting implementation of the OAS Convention in their countries. As a vital component of these programmes, TI national chapters have contributed to the formulation of ways to follow-up and verify implementation. TI is also actively involved in defining the methodology, questionnaires and reports that further the Convention’s goal of combating corruption.
- Please read here about TI´s methodology proposal.
- Report presented by Transparência Brasil at the Committee of Experts
For information about TI's contributions to the Convention's Follow-up mechanism, please see:
- September 2005
- March 2005 (in Spanish only)
- 2004 (in Spanish only)
- 2003 (in Spanish only)
- 2001 (in Spanish only)
To learn more about the OAS Follow-up Mechanism and civil society´s role in it, please click here.
TI activities on the Convention
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Transparency Venezuela & Universidad Metropolitana: 10 years after signing: Where is Venezuela on compliance with the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption?
ti_venezuela_event_en.pdf 3.37 kB
TI´s press releases about its regional work on conventions
- Chile must extradite former president of Peru
- Governments in the Americas must eliminate corruption to create jobs and reduce poverty
- To the Foreign Minister of Argentina: You are mistaken. The fight against corruption is fundamental to creating jobs
- Governments must publish their commitments to the OAS Anti-corruption Convention
- Anti-Corruption Assessments reveal secrecy as a continuing challenge in the Americas
- New OAS Secretary General pledges action on corruption under democratic charter
- The governments of the Americas must make genuine commitments in the fight against corruption
Links and further readings
- Further readings on Conventions
- National Integrity System (NIS) country studies in the Americas: TI’s NIS country studies are qualitative reports that provide a detailed and nuanced assessment of anti-corruption systems at country level.
- Latinobarómetro: annual public opinion survey.
A selection of news stories about the Convention
- El Mecanismo de Seguimiento de la Convención Interamericana contra la Corrupción es la base para una mayor rendición de cuentas (The follow-up mechanism of the ICAC is the base for accountability)-- Bolpress, 17 October 2005
- Inter-American Meeting Discusses Anti-Corruption Measures -- FindLaw, 29 March 2005
- OEA evalúa el desempeño oficial contra la corrupción en RD (OAS evaluates official performance to curb corruption in Dominican Republic) -- Clave Digital, 08 March 2005
- Inter-American Group Wants Anti-corruption Treaty Strengthened -- The Washington File, 08 March 2005
- American countries to meet in Nicaragua to fight against corruption -- Xinhua News Agency, 08 July 2004
- Antigua and Barbuda ratifies OAS Convention against Corruption-- Caribbean Net News, 16 January 2004
Media Contacts
Gypsy Guillén Kaiser
Tel: +49-30-3438 20-19/45
Fax: +49-30-3470 3912
press@transparency.org
Marta Erquicia
Tel: +49-30-3438 20-651
Fax: +49-30-3470 3912
merquicia@transparency.org
