Transparency International’s Annual Membership Meeting (AMM) 2007 gathered TI representatives from over seventy countries to discuss and pass resolutions on the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) and the OECD Anti-bribery Convention, as well as further resolutions on Burma, Pakistan, and facilitation payments.

To strengthen the global legal framework, TI called for a greater commitment to monitoring UNCAC implementation by signatory countries and for more assistance to countries trying to recover assets stolen by corrupt leaders and held out of the country.

In relation to the OECD Anti-bribery Convention, TI demands a new commitment to fighting foreign bribery as the sense in the anti-corruption movement is that there has been backsliding on the commitment of the world’s wealthiest countries to crack down on corrupt behaviour abroad by their companies.

For more information on AMM resolutions and outcomes, and to read about some of the side meetings on topics such as asset recovery and transparency in the oil and gas industry, please go to: www.transparency.org/news_room/in_focus/2007/amm_2007

Huguette Labelle, Chair of TI, was honoured with the Top 100 women award in the category Trailblazers and Trendsetters given by the Women's Executive Network, a Toronto-based networking and advocacy group. Canada’s most respected national daily newspaper, the Globe and Mail, dedicated a long feature article with the title “The most powerful women in Canada”. Her many accomplishments are outlined, including becoming the first female president of the Canadian Red Cross, as well as serving as the head of the Public Service Commission and as the longest serving president of the Canadian International Development Agency. Ms Labelle’s advice to young professionals: "Just do your best at what you're doing today, and people will notice." To read the full article in the Globe and Mail, click here.

On 1 December, TI’s national chapter in Zimbabwe and the Institute for Security Studies in South Africa launched a report on the impact of corruption on HIV/Aids prevention and treatment efforts in South Africa. The study titled A lethal cocktail. Exploring the impact of corruption on HIV/Aids prevention and treatment efforts in South Africa attempts to comprehensively map out structures, organisations and processes dealing with the HIV/Aids pandemic. The findings of the report are the first real attempt worldwide to comprehensively map out (primarily government) structures, bodies and processes dealing with the pandemic through a corruption and accountability lens. As the country is experiencing massive increase in funding capacity, the realisation of positive results remains slow and uneven. The study shows that corruption and poor oversight are a potential threat to the lives of the poor and marginalised in South Africa’s society when combined with the danger of HIV/Aids. The report can be downloaded at: www.issafrica.org/dynamic/administration/file_manager/file_links/ISSTIAIDSREPORTDEC07.PDF?link_id=&slink_id=5217&link_type=13&slink_type=13&tmpl_id=3

In December, Transparency International and its chapter in Kazakhstan started the “Kazakhstan Advocacy and Legal Advice Centre” (K-ALAC) project. The project aims to establish and operate two centres in Almaty and Astana. ALACs are a concept developed by Transparency International to provide victims of corruption with practical assistance to pursue complaints and address their grievances. In addition to helping citizens to resolve their cases, the ALACs will also seek to promote administrative reforms, local economic development and social reforms in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan still faces fundamental challenges on its path to stability and prosperity, not least of which is corruption. While more open towards civil society than other countries in Central Asia, there still remain problems for real engagement of the government with civil actors and the population. This project will help to overcome this need and constraint, both by demonstrating the constructive role civil society can play, as well as through the strengthening of the partner’s capacity. The project is funded by the Delegation of the European Commission to the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Tajikistan.

TI’s national chapters in the Latin America and Caribbean (TILAC) and the regional department the TI secretariat in Berlin met over two days in November in Punta del Este, Uruguay to discuss priorities for the region. The meeting was a continuation of the process started last year to redefine the strategic priorities and approaches of TI’s work at the regional level.

Some of the meetings highlights include the unanimous decision to prioritise the network’s work in political corruption and in the promotion of the effective use of the international anti-corruption conventions. In both these areas the chapters in the region have a positive track record in advocacy and the development of tools. In addition, the link between poverty and corruption was added as a fundamental challenge to be addressed in the next five years. Regarding approaches, TILAC will channel efforts and resources to enhance knowledge management and will work on strengthening its member organisations.

On 28 November, privatisation documentation of the sale of oil refinery Brod, lubricants producer Modrica and fuel retailer Petrol to a Russian investor, and the joint venture between RITE Gacko thermo-power plant and Czech state power company CEZ were handed over to TI’s national chapter in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This step by Bosnian Serb Prime Minister Milorad Dodik became necessary after public criticism by investors, activists, financial market analysts and media saying that the government had conducted the negotiations in secrecy, failed to provide timely and accurate accounts, and had agreed to terms that hurt the interests of small shareholders. TI’s chapter has been campaigning for getting access to the documentation for over half a year. The prime minister also agreed that TI representatives should in future monitor privatisations of strategic companies, from the moment tenders are issued to the moment contracts are signed. It was a great success for the chapter.

To celebrate the tenth anniversary of Transparencia Paraguay, TI’s chapter in Paraguay, the organisation decided to carry out a campaign called ‘Transparency Month’ with several activities, linked mainly to the project surrounding transparency in the 2008 elections. One of the main goals of Transparency Month is to train young volunteers to help during next year’s election process.

The project will work in both the party internal elections in December as well as the general elections in April next year. The festivities will come to an end with a meeting with national journalists on 10 December, UN Human Rights Day.

From 3 – 7 December, the second annual Week for Transparency and Ethical Values will take place in El Salvador. Its main goal is to raise citizen awareness on the importance of having transparent public administration and access to information to improve the quality of democracy in the country.

Transparency Week is organised by the Foundation for Economic and Social Development in coordination with the National Foundation for Development and TI. During this week various experts will come together to debate topics such as state efficiency, transparency in the judicial system, access to information, accountability, and political finance among others.

This event is of particular relevance as the first year has passed by since President Saca signed, together with his Central American counterparts, a TI-sponsored agreement for a corruption free region in the framework of the Guatemala International Anti-corruption Conference (IACC).

Transparency International’s chapter in Fiji has called on the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation to make public the recruitment process of their new Chief Executive, Riyaz Saiyad Khaiyum. The selected candidate is the brother of the current Attorney General, Mr. Aiyaz Saiyad Khaiyum. To demonstrate that the appointment is merit-based, the chapter calls upon the Broadcasting Corporation to publicly disclose the appointment process as well as the qualifications and experience of other candidates and the names of those heading the interview panel. The chapter additionally used the opportunity to remind the interim government to focus on strengthening public confidence in how the government handles business.

A dozen musicians have recorded a CD- sampler called “You can stop corruption” together with TI’s chapter in Niger to support national initiatives fighting corruption. The record collects a mixture of sounds and rhythms from Niger in ten tunes sung by artists from Niger in the national dialects Zarma, Hausa, Fulfulde, Tamajeq and French. Participating singer Boureima Disco explains, “[the songs are the] echo from every region of Niger”. He further notes that through music, it is possible to win over the plague of corruption. Ms Aissata Fall, the president of TI Niger, underlines that the album is first of all directed to the younger people, but that it calls on all to give a good example of integrity and saying no to corruption.

Transparency International’s national chapter in India is currently undertaking its household survey India Corruption Study 2007, which aims to understand the problem of petty corruption faced by below poverty line households and estimating the extent of corruption and the causes thereof particularly in rural India. It is the third study after 2002 and 2005; and includes results from 21,000 households from 450 villages all over the country. On the basis of the results, TI India will develop suggestions to reduce corruption in selected public services in the country. National seminars will follow-up the results with government representatives and parliamentarians, civil society organisations and anti-corruption experts. To see the results of the 2005 survey, please click here: www.tiindia.in/data/files/India%20Corruption%20Study%202005%20in%20PDF.pdf

Kuwait Transparency Society announced they will carry out a local reform index to gauge reform efforts and counter-corruption action at state bodies. The index is an initiative to clean up the public sector after the perception of the recent spread of corruption. It hopes to incite competition among state bodies to identify, admit to, and address their own problems and come clean before the public. A board of trustees gathering specialists and experts in administrative and financial affairs will guarantee a proper and sound mechanism for the index. The annual index involves criteria such as performance assessment mechanisms, transparency requirements, improvement of standards of service, and encouraging the state bodies, officials, and staff to engage in reform efforts. The index project also aims at increasing awareness for the need to counter administrative and financial corruption in the state sector and urge more care and commitment to principles such as preservation and best utilisation of state funds. The first report for 2007 will be presented at the transparency forum in mid-February 2008. For more information see: www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases_nc/2007/2007_11_15_kuwait_index

In November, TI’s national chapter in New Zealand (TI NZ) gave evidence on New Zealand’s Pacific Policy to the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee. The TI NZ submission to this committee emphasised two main points: first, the Treaty of Waitangi experience provides New Zealand with a comparative advantage in foreign affairs that should be emphasised in the Pacific; and second, the primary development challenge in the Pacific is the maintenance of the sense of connectedness between the public and state institutions. TI NZ believes that the TI approach, based on autonomous national chapters grounded in the local political culture is best-placed to address the governance challenges of the Pacific. The submissions is available on-line at www.transparencynz.org.nz

On 5 November, TI’s national chapter in Germany has sent a public statement to the Ministry of the Interior asking for consideration of 11 notes concerning the draft law on the further development of combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism. The focus of the statement lies in including bribery in business transactions as part of the catalogue of relevant previous convictions related to money laundering. For more information, in German, please click here: www.transparency.de/index.php?RDCT=0b0fd3a0b303cf138fa9

Transparency International Latvia, the Chancery of the President of Latvia and the Ministry of Health of Latvia have come together in a public forum on good governance in Latvia’s Health Care System on 7 November. The roundtable discussion counted on more than 40 participants, from hospital directors, medics, legislators, representatives of patient organisations, experts in the sector and civil society representatives.

With presentations by Health Minister Vinets Veldre and TI Latvia council chairman Roberts Putnis, the discussions focussed on issues such as how to make health care financing more effective, developing human resources in the sector, responsibilities of health care personnel, monitoring of the quality of services, the extent to which information must be transparent, and ways to involve private partners.

The 13th biennial International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC) has been set for 30 October to 2 November 2008 and will be held in Athens, Greece. The IACC is the premier global forum for effective global and national anti-corruption advocacy and action. Government officials, civil society and business people meet to exchange experiences and ideas about the fight against corruption, assess existing strategies and develop new approaches. Transparency International, which serves as secretariat to the IACC Council, is working with its national chapter in the country, TI Greece, and with the conference’s generous host, the Government of Greece, to prepare the conference. For further information please write to: iacc@transparency.org or info@13iacc.org