Without real global cooperation and a deep sense of urgency on the need to fight corruption, the UK Anti-Corruption Summit will be just another talk shop with little impact, the anti-corruption pressure group Transparency International has warned.
The Panama Papers and Transparency International UK’s research on the billions of potentially corrupt capital invested in London property are the most recent indicators of the scale of the global problem and the need for global cooperation to tackle it, TI says.
José Ugaz, Chair of Transparency International, said: “Fighting corruption is the first step to reducing inequality, safeguarding human rights, ending poverty and stopping those who act with impunity. It’s not an easy task, but it is not something world leaders can afford to ignore. We want leaders to prevent corruption, punish the corrupt and protect those bold enough to speak out. We hope that world leaders will listen closely to the recommendations of civil society when deciding a way forward. Civil society represents the voice of the people, people who suffer the pain and indignity of corruption on a daily basis.”
“The UK Anti-Corruption Summit is too big an opportunity to waste. An ambitious and specific agreement on ending secrecy in the financial system, finding ways to stop the enablers of corruption and creating a safe environment for whistleblowers must be a priority for world leaders at this week’s meeting,” Ugaz added.
Transparency International has released a report on how the UK Summit can make a difference.
