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Welcome to the fourteenth issue of the quarterly newsletter from
Integrity Initiatives International (III, pronounced "triple I") concerning global efforts to strengthen the enforcement of criminal laws to punish and deter corrupt leaders and end impunity for grand corruption.
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The growing III team has been criss-crossing Africa and Europe to advocate for the creation of an International Anti-Corruption Court (IACCourt). Read on to learn more about:
- recent advocacy for the IACCourt;
- activities of the III Youth Leaders Network;
- the U.S. Foreign Extortion Prevention Act;
- III Europe's Managing Director;
- the new film Bribe, Inc.;
- opportunities at III;
- and other media coverage.
We need your help to sustain the momentum behind our work advocating for the IACCourt and to seize windows of opportunity to counter corruption on the national level from Ukraine to Guatemala to Bangladesh. Please consider making a U.S. tax deductible contribution using the button below. Or reach out to us for other methods to contribute.
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Ukraine
In September, III Chair Judge Mark Wolf traveled to Ukraine to participate in the 20th Annual Yalta European Strategy (YES) Conference. During the discussion on “Transparency and Accountability: The Cornerstones of Anti-Corruption Efforts,” Judge Wolf spoke regarding the International Anti-Corruption Court (IACCourt) and emphasized how its establishment will enhance Ukraine's efforts to combat corruption.
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Judge Wolf also explored ways to expand III's participation in Ukraine's ongoing efforts to combat the corruption that now threatens the international support essential to its survival. He is pictured right with Anastasia Radina, Chair of the Anti-Corruption Committee of the Ukrainian Parliament.
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Judge Wolf at the YES Conference with former Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren and former Munich Security Conference Chair Wolfgang Ischinger.
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Photographs provided by the VictorPinchukFoundation©2024 and @YES2024. Photographed by PRYZM (Nicolas Lobet, Valentyna Rostovikova, Frederic Garrido-Ramirez) and Oleksandr Piliugin.
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United Kingdom
On September 2, Lord Peter Hain applauded Foreign Secretary David Lammy's commitment to back creation of an IACCourt and asked about the UK Government's plans to discuss the Court with other governments. Lord David Alton drew attention to the op-ed in favor of the IACCourt written by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and asked the government representative Baroness Jenny Chapman, who serves as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, if she would participate in a roundtable on the IACCourt with Mr. Brown and Judge Wolf.
Baroness Chapman said she would join such a roundtable, that the Foreign Secretary will take up the issue of corruption "with full vigor" and that work towards creation of an IACCourt very much complements other anti-corruption efforts underway in the UK.
You can watch the full debate in the House of Lords by clicking here and starting the video at timestamp 15:12:38.
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Judge Wolf traveled to London in October for meetings with Attorney General Richard Hermer, officials at the Foreign Office, and others, including Lord Hain and Baroness Helena Kennedy (pictured right). Baroness Kennedy said said she would organize a roundtable in Parliament on the Court in the new year.
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On November 1, Judge Mark Wolf gave a lecture on "The Rapidly Progressing Proposal for an International Anti-Corruption Court" at Cambridge University's Lauterpacht Centre for International Law.
He highlighted that "corruption is not a victimless crime; it is a crime that feeds on the lives of the most vulnerable." He emphasized that the IACCourt "cannot be developed by the Global North and prescribed for the rest of the world; it must be a global initiative."
You can watch the full lecture here.
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At the end of September, IACCourt Treaty Drafting Committee Member Susan Lamb (pictured right) and III Europe's Managing Director Sophie Kloos attended the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences’ conference on combating financial crime. At the conference, Lamb reported on advances in the IACCourt treaty drafting. She and Kloos also met with Estonian officials to discuss the draft treaty and the progress of the campaign for creation of the Court.
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South Africa
The IACCourt as a means improve governance in Africa was a key topic at Good Governance Africa's (GGA) 10-year celebration in Johannesburg in October. III Vice Chair Justice Richard Goldstone (pictured below) highlighted the need for the Court to address accountability issues. He noted that by deterring corruption and seizing and returning stolen funds the IACCourt will help alleviate major issues such as poverty and climate change that impact Africa. In a panel discussion that followed, Executive Director of Global Governance Programmes for GGA Ruth Kolevsohn added that the Court will aim to strengthen local governance and prosecution capabilities.
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Also in October, Justice Goldstone participated in the Helen Suzman Foundation's "International Anti-corruption Mechanisms Webinar". Upon hearing Justice Goldstone's remarks on the IACCourt, Professor Firoz Cachalia, the Chair of South Africa's National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council, said he was personally convinced of the need for an IACCourt and that he would explore whether the proposal could fall within the mandate of the Advisory Council. Watch the full webinar below:
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Uganda
In October, the Tax Justice Network Africa (TJNA), comprising 51 members across 26 African countries, convened its 7th General Assembly in Kampala, Uganda.
TJNA members are committed to building a transparent and equitable financial system in Africa and by tackling corruption they seek to enhance domestic resource mobilization. The campaign for an IACCourt aligns with these goals, offering a powerful framework to ensure accountability for public corruption and money laundering.
At the General Assembly III Africa Coordinator Pusetso Morapedi (pictured speaking below) introduced the IACCourt to key stakeholders, including Chairpersons from the African Parliamentary Network on Illicit Financial Flows and Taxation (APNIFFT) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). Follow-up meetings are scheduled for December to explore potential areas of collaboration.
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Tanzania
This year, the African Institute of International Law (AIIL) organized the Hague Justice Week in Arusha, Tanzania in collaboration with The Hague Municipality, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the African Foundation for International Law. Prominent among the discussions was a dialogue on the case for an International Anti-Corruption Court (IACCourt).
III's Africa Coordinator Pusetso Morapedi is pictured below during her presentation on the need for establishing an IACCourt to tackle grand corruption and its corrosive impacts. She referenced troubling downward trends found in the Mo Ibrahim Governance Index, the Afrobarometer, and the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index. Her co-panelists included: Charity Nchimunya from the African Union Advisory Board against Corruption, Jean-Pelé Fomété from AIIL, and Don Deya from the Pan African Lawyers Union.
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In the context of the Hague Justice Week, the Hague Talks Event in October brought together leading experts to discuss the far-reaching consequences of corruption. Sophie Kloos and IACCourt Treaty Drafting Committee Member Inbal Djalovski (pictured above second from the right) were among the speakers, discussing why corruption is important to citizens of The Hague and how an IACCourt can help address grand corruption. Watch the event recording below:
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Belgium
III Europe's Chair Ben Knapen and Managing Director Sophie Kloos made two trips to Brussels in October and November to brief key European Commission staff working on anti-corruption and justice, Members of the European Parliament, and officials in the Belgian Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Justice on the IACCourt proposal.
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INTRODUCING III EUROPE'S MANAGING DIRECTOR
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As Managing Director of III Europe, Sophie Kloos plays a key role in campaign to establish the IACCourt, with a geographical focus on Europe and Asia. Prior to this role, Sophie served as Director of the asylum NGO Asylos for seven years and worked with the Programme Management Unit of the UNDP Joint Migration and Development Initiative.
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"Sophie Kloos brings a unique blend of relevant experience in developing and leading a successful initiative in the justice space that qualifies her to take on this important leadership role. Together with Sophie, III Europe will continue to build capacity and momentum to fortify the campaign for the IACC, focusing on partnerships and stakeholder engagement and public advocacy within Europe and beyond."
- Ben Knapen, Chair III Europe and former Dutch Foreign Minister
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WE'RE HIRING: PROGRAM ASSISTANT
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We are looking for a Program Assistant to work 20 hours per week in Boston, MA. The position is a unique opportunity for a new or recent graduate to gain experience working closely with III’s staff, board, and partners, who include leading international jurists, former cabinet ministers, and civil society leaders, among other prominent individuals from around the world. We can only consider applicants with U.S. work authorization. Click here to learn more and apply.
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III'S YOUTH LEADERS NETWORK
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Voices from the Network
by Tinatin Oboladze - Community of Democracies (CoD) YouthLeads, Georgia
I am a human rights lawyer and global activist. As a CoD YouthLead, I play an integral role in the global Youth Democracy Network (YDN), announced at the Summit for Democracy II in Costa Rica (see the picture below) and launched this year. My cohort of YouthLeads and I advise member states on youth rights and advocate for youth participation in democratic governance. Through YDN, we empower young advocates with resources, training, and networking opportunities, advancing democracy and human rights globally, starting with a regional meeting in Panama in December. Learn more here.
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Leading the global Ready-for-the-Seat campaign, I called on the U.N. Human Rights Council to prioritize youth political participation in the 2024 resolution on youth and human rights. The global campaign has attracted thousands of supporters worldwide and endorsements from CoD Governing Council member states. From my time in 2017 playing a role in Georgia’s constitutional reform to my current global initiatives, I work to amplify democratic values, the rule of law, human rights, and the vital role of youth in these efforts. Learn more about my story here.
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Youth Webinar
In November, III's Youth Leaders Network collaborated with the African Women Against Corruption Network (AWACN) to host an online discussion of how youth, and women in particular, can contribute to the fight against corruption and advocate for creation of an IACCourt.
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JUSTICE GOLDSTONE RECEIVES
HEINTZ HUMANITARIAN ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
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III Vice Chair Justice Richard Goldstone was awarded the Heintz Humanitarian Achievement Award at a reception and dinner at the Robert H. Jackson Center on August 25. The event kicked off the 16th Annual International Humanitarian Law Roundtable, which is held at Chautauqua Institution.
The award is given to an individual who demonstrates compassion, vision, and dedication in pursuit of international humanitarian justice. The award honors efforts to limit the effects of armed conflict, to protect people and culture, and to ensure judicial processes are developed and enforced.
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Colonel (ret) Eugene Vindman Elected to
the U.S. House of Representatives
Congratulations to former III Board Member Col (ret) Eugene Vindman for his election to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. He will be a strong voice in the U.S. Congress for protecting democracy, defending Ukraine, and combating corruption.
U.S. Foreign Extortion Prevention Act
Passed at the end of 2023 with thought leadership from former III Board Member Tom Firestone, the U.S. Foreign Extortion Prevention Act (FEPA) is the first of its kind in the world.
FEPA criminalizes under U.S. law the "demand side" of foreign bribery. Previously, U.S. law only criminalized the offering or giving of bribes by U.S. individuals, companies, and companies listed on a U.S. stock exchange to foreign officials. Now, FEPA allows the U.S. to also prosecute foreign officials for demanding and accepting of those bribes. FEPA has the potential to help address significant parts of the global accountability gap. If enforced, it would complement the work of the eventual IACCourt.
Transparency International U.S. has produced excellent FAQs on FEPA that you can read here.
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WHY DOES CORRUPTION MATTER?
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Directed by III partner Peter Klein, the new documentary Bribe, Inc. exposes the Unaoil scandal, one of the most vast and complex corruption cases in modern history. The film illustrates the myriad terrible consequences of corruption.
Learn more on the Bribe, Inc. website.
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RICHARD GOLDSTONE: Together against corruption — a unified strategy for SA’s future
Business Day, November 6, 2024
By Richard Goldstone
- "Establishment of International Anti-Corruption Court could catalyse reforms and restore confidence in institutions".
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Africa’s kleptocrats enable illegal forestry
Mail & Guardian, October 26, 2024
By Helen Grange
GGA 10 Year Celebration
Mail & Guardian, October 3, 2024
By Derek Davey
- "A growing coalition of governments, civil society organisations and individuals are working together to make the IACC a reality, and experts in international law are busy developing the treaty to establish it, with input from civil society organisations like the GGA advocating for the idea."
Perspectives d’avenir pour la Cour Internationale Anti-Corruption
(Future prospects for International Anti-Corruption Court)
Navacelle, September 12, 2024
By Stéphane de Navacelle
The case for an international anti-corruption court
Mail & Guardian, September 11, 2024
By Prosper Maguchu
Lord Hain says UK will soon push for an international anti-corruption court
Daily Maverick, September 2, 2024
By Peter Fabricius
Het vergif dat corruptie is (The poison that is corruption)
Vice Versa, June 22, 2024
By Elian Yahye
- An interview with Dutch Special Envoy for Anti-Corruption Caroline Weijers
- When asked, "The International Criminal Court has been criticized for targeting mainly African leaders. How can you prevent something like that from happening at an International Anti-Corruption Court?"
- Amb. Weijers said, "It shouldn't become a Western European hobby, and it isn't. You can see that in the interest: countries I speak to are either interested or downright enthusiastic. There is a lot of interest and enthusiasm."
Labour would sanction more Russians on Navalny ‘list’ of Putin henchmen
i news, February 18, 2024
By Arj Singh
- Following the death of Alexei Navalny in unjust Russian detention, David Lammy, who is now the UK Foreign Secretary, "urged the Government to back Labour calls for a new international anti-corruption court" as a part of its response.
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