|
|
|
|
|
Welcome to the ninth 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The last few months were busy for III. Read on to learn more about:
- the expanding advocacy efforts for the IACC in Africa,
- the launch of the International Anti-Corruption Court (IACC) model treaty drafting project,
- a new special law journal issue on the IACC,
- the quarterly spotlight on a member of III's Youth Leaders Network,
- and an update on important U.S. anti-corruption legislation.
|
|
INTERNATIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION COURT
|
|
|
On October 10, Nigerian NGO HEDA Resource Centre organized its 33rd Anti-Corruption Situation Room in collaboration with III. The day long hybrid event in Abuja explored the existing international mechanisms used to combat grand corruption and ideas for new institutions, including the IACC.
|
|
The guest of honor, Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi SAN, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Nigeria, lent his support for the creation of the IACC. He said, "The idea of an IACC represents a paradigm shift in our approach to combating corruption at the international level," and that the court's creation "would send a powerful message that corruption will not be tolerated anywhere in the world."
|
|
|
|
Aminata Touré, Prime Minister of Senegal (2013-2014) and member of Club de Madrid gave the keynote speech. She emphasized that corruption is a transnational issue that requires an international response, including the Club de Madrid-supported project for the creation of an IACC.
|
|
|
|
Club de Madrid is the world’s largest forum of democratic former Presidents and Prime Ministers, who leverage their individual and collective leadership experience and global reach to strengthen inclusive democratic practice and improve the well-being of people around the world.
|
|
David Ogungbesan, Legal Officer at HEDA Resource Centre, joined PRIMORG's Public Conscience on Radio program to discuss the dialogue about advocacy for the IACC in Nigeria.
On October 9, Justice Richard Goldstone, Vice Chair of III, delivered remarks on the need for an IACC at the Interfaith Forum in South Africa. Read Justice Goldstone's full remarks here.
|
|
|
|
On August 9, Justice Goldstone delivered the keynote speech at the Transparency International (TI) Africa Regional Meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa. Justice Goldstone spoke about how establishment of an IACC would complement the TI movement's many important anti-corruption initiatives. Read his full remarks here.
|
|
Justice Goldstone ( center) was
encouraged by the passion, expertise, and vision of the TI representatives including Karam Singh ( Corruption Watch South Africa, left), Ke Rafitoson
( TI Madagascar, second to the left), and Lovania Pertab ( TI Mauritius,
second to the right), as well as Koogan Pillay (Leaders for Integrity, right). |
|
|
Building on the growing activity of the IACC Campaign in Africa, III has established the first regional sub-committee for the campaign. The new sub-committee is co-chaired by Olanrewaju Suraju (Nigeria), the Chair of HEDA Resource Centre, and Koogan Pillay (South Africa), the Founder of Leaders for Integrity. Additional members of the committee hail from Nigeria, South Africa, Cameroon, Tanzania, Madagascar, and Mauritius. The subcommittee will meet monthly to discuss the coordination of IACC-related engagements in Africa and ensure the African perspective is situated at the core of the IACC Campaign.
|
|
|
In August, leading international jurists, lawyers, scholars, and anti-corruption experts from all around the world gathered at The New Institute in Hamburg, Germany for the first meeting of the IACC model treaty drafting project. The draft model treaty, forthcoming in 2024, will provide a basis for public discussion among states, civil society, and the private sector on how to create an effective IACC.
|
|
|
Chaired by Justice Richard Goldstone, former Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, and III Senior Treaty Advisor Maja Groff, the participants included:
- Charles Adeogun-Phillips of Nigeria, Former Head of Special Investigations at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
- Mónica Castillejos-Aragón of Mexico, Former Senior Legal Advisor to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers
- Leopoldo Pagotto of Brazil, Co-Chair of the Anti-Corruption Committee of the International Bar Association
- Iffat Rahman of Bangladesh, Ambassador for the African Bar Association
- Justice Maria Wilson of Trinidad and Tobago, Justice of Appeal of the Supreme Court of Trinidad and Tobago
|
|
|
Click to watch Allan Rock, former Canadian Minister of Justice and Attorney General, speak on the need for an IACC and progress made at the IACC model treaty drafting meeting in Hamburg.
|
|
|
|
The discussions in Hamburg emphasized the importance of extensive involvement of stakeholders from the Global South in the drafting process to ensure the IACC is fit for purpose and serves all global regions.
|
|
|
The IACC will prosecute corrupt public officials and their co-conspirators, including companies and individuals who pay bribes and those involved in the laundering of illegal assets. This includes bankers, lawyers, and real estate agents, many of whom operate from the financial hubs found primarily in the Global North.
|
|
|
|
Discussions in Hamburg also focused how the IACC can use criminal and civil proceedings to seize and then return or repurpose stolen assets to improve the well-being of the populations victimized by grand corruption - who are predominantly found in the Global South.
|
|
|
Read more about the expert meeting in the recent letter to the Financial Times by Justice Goldstone here.
|
|
Special Law Journal Issue on the IACC
|
|
On September 25th, the Transnational Criminal Law Review (TCLR) published a Special Issue, Symposium on the Proposal to Create an International Anti-Corruption Court (Vol. 2 No. 1). With six articles covering a range of topics, from what law the court should apply to recovering assets to corporate liability, this special issue explores multiple important facets of the proposed IACC that the expert group organized by III is working on.
|
|
|
VOICES FROM III'S YOUTH LEADERS NETWORK
|
|
III Youth Leaders Network (YLN) member Kimia Rahbar, former U.S. Congressional staffer and Iranian American, is spearheading the Youth Liberty Alliance (YLA), the new youth branch of the World Liberty Congress (WLC), alongside Russian anti-war activist and student Liza Volkova.
The YLA aims to institutionalize the first-ever global pro-democracy youth network and movement by providing young activists worldwide with the essential tools, resources, and opportunities to advance their advocacy.
|
|
|
The idea developed during an internship with the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee last fall, when Kimia met Liza (second and first from the right respectively at the Oslo Freedom Forum 2023). The two quickly realized not only the importance of youth participation in the global fight for democracy and human rights, but also the necessity to bridge the gap between pro-democracy activists within autocratic regimes and those leading movements within diaspora communities in the free world.
|
|
|
|
Now, Kimia and Liza working with other WLC staff, partnering organizations, and individual democracy advocates to launch the initial YLA gathering in November, in Vilnius, Lithuania, where nearly thirty youth leaders will meet under an action-oriented agenda to stand against autocracy.
|
|
|
HIRING: YOUTH LEADERS NETWORK COORDINATOR
|
|
Many young activists around the world are interested in participating in the IACC campaign. III’s rapidly growing Youth Leaders Network (YLN) provides a means for them to do so. The YLN also provides a platform for peer-peer learning and support as its members faces the risks and challenges of doing the often lonely and dangerous work of combating corruption in countries such as Venezuela, Lebanon, Russia, and Uganda. The YLN is also a laboratory for developing joint projects with its members.
To build on the momentum behind the YLN, III is seeking a part-time (15 hours per week), temporary (3 months) YLN Coordinator, with the possibility of extension and expansion of the role. Application deadline: October 26
It is important to note that III is only able to consider applicants with U.S. work authorization. To learn more about the position and apply click here.
|
|
U.S. ANTI-CORRUPTION LEGISLATION
|
|
U.S. Foreign Extortion Prevention Act (FEPA)
|
|
The proposed U.S. Foreign Extortion Prevention Act (FEPA), a bipartisan bill, would allow U.S. law enforcement to prosecute foreign officials for demanding or accepting bribes from American individuals, companies, or any entity listed on a U.S.-based stock exchange, even if the demand does not occur within the United States.
The legislation aims to align U.S. anti-bribery laws with those of other democracies and strengthen ethical business practices, promoting American democratic values over corruption-driven foreign influence. III signed the letter of support for FEPA organized by Transparency International U.S.
Elaine Dezenski, Secretary of the III Board, wrote in The Hill arguing for FEPA. Dezenski emphasizes that corruption has far-reaching consequences, including funds flowing into the U.S., impacting American democracy, and fueling conflicts and human rights abuses in other countries.
|
|
Expanding Whistleblower Protections
|
|
III has joined 130 other groups calling on the U.S. Congress to pass the Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act, which would ensure that government contractors and grantees, who are in the best position to fight against fraud, waste and abuse, have working protections to blow the whistle. Read the letter to Congress organized by the Government Accountability Project here. |
|
- "The participants who called for the creation of an African Network of the Friends of International Anti-Corruption Court to be led by HEDA, commended the HEDA Resource Centre for its commitment to the fight against corruption at great risk to its officials while the MacArthur Foundation and the Integrity Initiative International were deeply appreciated for their support."
|
|
FG considering special anti-graft court, says AGF
Punch NG, October 11, 2023
By Friday Olokor
FG to establish intl' anti-graft court to recover stolen funds abroad, says AGF
The Guardian Nigeria, October 11, 2023
By Sodiq Omolaoye
AGF, HEDA, others push for Int'l Anti-Corruption Court for Nigeria
Vanguard, October 10, 2023
By Ezra Ukanwa
Anti-Corruption Court Will Enable Nigeria Tackle High-Profile Cases, Recover Property Abroad - Attorney-General, Fagbemi
Sahara Reports, October 10, 2023
Justice Goldstone's Remarks to the Interfaith Forum on Corruption
IFAISA Accountability Now, October 9, 2023
By Justice Richard Goldstone
Work on draft treaty for specialised global corruption court commences
FT ADVISER, September 28, 2023
By Maria Cronin, Craig Hogg and Charlotte Dormon
Por que precisamos de um Tribunal Internacional Anticorrupção? (Why do we need an International Anti-Corruption Court?)
Estadão, September 27, 2023
By Leopoldo Pagotto
Interview on the International Anti-Corruption Court
Global News, September 25, 2023
By Allan Rock
Letter: An anti-corruption court cannot just serve the west
Financial Times, September 24, 2023
By Justice Richard Goldstone
Growing SA support for global anti-graft court
Mail & Guardian, September 23, 2023
By Lyse Comins
Letter: Justice requires states to match words with action on corruption
Financial Times, August 23, 2023
By Frank Vogl
International Anti-Corruption Court needed now to clamp down on global white-collar crime.
Daily Maverick, August 16, 2023
By Lord Peter Hain PC
The time for instituting a new global corruption court is now.
Financial Times, August 15, 2023
By Lord Peter Hain PC
Why a federal judge is pushing for an international anti-corruption court.
Washington Post, August 7, 2023
By Max Boot
Survey shows global approval for the establishment of International Anti-Corruption Court
Daily Maverick, August 1, 2023
By Justice Richard Goldstone and Paul Hoffman
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
