Prevention of corruption at local level focus of OSCE/OECD expert seminar in Vienna

New approaches and practical tools to prevent corruption at the local level were the focus of a two-day expert seminar organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) in partnership with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Anti-Corruption Network for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (OECD/ACN) in Vienna on 5 and 6 November 2018, which gathered over 70 experts and practitioners from some 30 OSCE participating States.

The seminar covered experiences and challenges from the entire OSCE region with a special focus on Central Asia, Eastern Europe, South-Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus. The participants included representatives of central government bodies and local level officials responsible for integrity and corruption prevention in cities and regions as well as experts from international organizations and civil society.

“The topics discussed here today are extremely important in the fight against corruption,” said Ermelinda Meksi, Deputy Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities. “Transparency in decision-making and the delivery of public services will prevent the government at every level from misusing power and public funds. This in turn will increase citizens’ confidence in their local institutions, ensure sustainable development and stability and security in the OSCE region.”

Matteo Pianca, Deputy Head of Mission for the Economic and Environmental Dimension at Italy's Delegation  to the OSCE, and representing the 2018 Italian OSCE Chairmanship said: “Italy attaches great importance to the anti-corruption component of the OSCE’s economic and environmental dimension. Our Chairmanship’s decision to appoint Professor Paola Severino as the first-ever OSCE Special Representative on combating corruption is a confirmation of our wish to further support the OSCE in assisting its participating States to implement their commitments in good governance and anti-corruption. Thanks to her engagement these commitments have been further promoted across the OSCE region, also through several country visits during which former Italian Justice Minister Severino shared her knowledge as well as lessons learned from the Italian experience with relevant stakeholders.”

The seminar’s discussions focused on how to best leverage the impact of anti-corruption policy and initiatives on economic development and improving the business climate; and how to transform local integrity plans into practical tools that can guarantee broader engagement and achieve change.

Invited experts also spoke about innovative approaches, successful practices and solutions in planning and executing local budgets in order to minimize corruption risks in procurement at the local level.

Other sessions explored good practices of reducing corruption risks in regulatory activities, undertaking risk assessments, and on guidance tools developed by international organizations. There was also a practical exercise.

Olga Savran, OECD/ACN Manager, added: “This seminar is an important step in the OECD/ACN project that aims to develop a thematic study on corruption prevention at the local level. The study will review trends in Eastern Europe and Central Asia and include examples of good practices from the region and from several OECD countries. This seminar is also an excellent example of fruitful cooperation between the OSCE and OECD where we combine our efforts to help countries in the region to prevent corruption.”