Inclusion of anticorruption text in Rio+20 draft outcome document welcomed

Concrete commitments still needed to ensure agreement guarantees sustainable future for all

Transparency International welcomes the inclusion of governance and corruption in the current draft of the Rio+20 outcome document, but more concrete commitments are needed on all fronts to ensure the agreement guarantees a sustainable future for all.

We, along with representatives from more than 85 other civil society organizations, strongly support the anticorruption provisions contained in the document for strengthening the governance of institutions and processes at all levels, through meaningful transparency, mutual accountability and citizen engagement.

“In its current form, the Rio outcome document could set the right framework for governance and anti-corruption efforts by all countries in order to achieve true advances over the next decade toward economic growth, social development and environmental protection,” said Transparency International’s Chair, Huguette Labelle.

It is the first time in the history of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development that corruption has been recognised as a serious impediment to poverty eradication, the fight against hunger, and sustainable development, recasting the commitments first made here in 1992

If effectively implemented and enforced, these anti-corruption principles – as enshrined in the United Nations Convention Against Corruption – will help ensure that the billions of dollars to be invested in sustainable development are not diverted from those people who need it most. They can ensure a transition to effective, efficient and equitable green economies to meet the environmental challenges our planet faces.

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Transparency International is the global civil society organisation leading the fight against corruption