Hilary Benn, UK Secretary of State for International Development, will speak on “Eliminating world poverty: making governance work for the poor” at a TI UK meeting at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre on 14 September. The address is expected to describe how the UK intends to fight corruption to improve governance. The event will be chaired by Laurence Cockcroft, Chairman of TI UK. For further information, email info@transparency.org.uk.

Transparência Brazil has launched “Excelências”, an online resource for citizens about candidates for re-election to the National Chamber of Deputies. The database provides information from public sources to help citizens make informed electoral decisions. The database focuses on candidates running for re-election, approximately 500 of the total 5000 candidates. Launched on 1 August, the database has already received more than 3.8 million visits. The project can be found in Portuguese at: perfil.transparencia.org.br, or contact Transparência Brazil for more information at: tbrasil@transparencia.org.br

In an open letter to Prime Minister Driss Jettou, Transparency International Morocco recently asked for concrete action against vote-buying in the upcoming elections to the second house of Parliament. The chapter urged the Prime Minister to conduct an enquiry into suspicions of vote buying and to prosecute those implicated. It urged the government to move forward with the action plan against corruption and ratification of the UN Convention against Corruption. Clear and immediate measures against corruption now will help prevent vote buying in the legislative elections slated for 2007.

TI Switzerland has thanked Otmar Hafner for his selfless commitment and long-standing support and dedication to the development and success of the chapter. Mr Hafner served faithfully on the chapter’s board of directors for eight years, never once missing a board meeting. He authored an important publication on corruption in Switzerland as well as articles, internal working and strategy papers, and was active in lobbying for the chapter in Switzerland. Mr Hafner was a supportive and motivating force for the staff and members of the chapter in the fight against corruption in Switzerland.

Transparency International Latvia challenged illegal construction on the shores of Lielais Baltezers Lake in an August submission to the Latvian Constitutional Court. The brief was filed by fifty residents of Garkalne and the capital Riga, protesting the lack of public consultation on plans to build luxury villas. The plans had been approved by Garkalne Parish Council despite a ban on construction on the lake’s shores for environmental reasons. Public proposals were ignored, violating rights guaranteed by the Latvian constitution. Residents have been submitting petitions to the chairman of Garkalne Parish and to government ministers since 2002.

Due to their direct contact with people affected by corruption, the Transparency International’s Advocacy and Legal Advice Centres (ALACs) in South East Europe generate a wealth of fascinating anti-corruption human-interest stories. To learn how to best communicate these stories to a broader audience, the 2nd regional ALAC workshop in South East Europe will focus on on-site training to build the capacity of ALAC staff to analyse and draft such stories. The workshop, organised by Transparency Bosnia and Herzegovina and the TI Secretariat will take place 27-28 September at the Hotel Grand Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. For more information, please contact Jana Mittermaier at: jmittermaier@transparency.org

Chile Transparente recently signed an agreement with the University of Chile to develop and disseminate a guide on how to denounce corruption cases in good faith, “Responsablemente y de Buena Fe Actos de Corrupción”. It will provide legal and practical information to support citizens and public officials who want to denounce acts of corruption.

In preparation for December’s municipal elections, Transparency International Costa Rica is launching a pilot advocacy programme in nine municipalities. The objectives are twofold: to promote transparency within the mayoral election process, and to engage and inform citizens to improve participation in the electoral and political management processes at local level. For more information, contact: transparencia@racsa.co.cr

TI’s national chapter in Palestine – AMAN (The Coalition for Accountability and Integrity) - has conducted a public opinion survey to measure perceptions of civil society compliance with transparency and accountability standards, as well as the forms and magnitude of corruption. Carried out by the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research, the survey found that 70 percent of Palestinians believe that civil society organisations (CSO) and charities do not publicly disclose financial, administrative, or programme information. When asked the most prevalent forms of corruption in CSOs, 53 percent cited ‘nepotism’ or ‘influence trafficking’. Survey results and TI Palestine projects will be featured in an ‘In Focus’ on the TI website.

TI Israel (SHVIL) recently participated in a meeting on whistle blowing in the Israeli Parliament. The chapter used the opportunity to press for increased whistleblower protection based on international regulatory standards, as well as the adoption of tools such as hotlines, legal advice services and support groups. The meeting also served as a platform for whistle blowers to share their personal stories with Members of Parliament and for the Movement for Quality Government, an Israeli civil society organisation, to present ideas on improving the current legislation.

The deadline for “early bird” registration at a reduced rate for the 12th International Anti-Corruption Conference is 15 September. Information about registration and the preliminary programme is available at: www.12iacc.org.

The U4 Helpdesk at the TI Secretariat provides expert answers on corruption and development issues in response to queries from partner international development agencies. Recent U4 answers include an analysis of the political will to fight corruption in Zambia; the pros and cons of establishing an anti-corruption hotline; the implications of gender on corruption; the use of the UN Convention against Corruption; and corruption in education in Bangladesh. U4 answers can be found at: www.u4.no.