NCJ Number
204167
Date Published
October 2003
Length
76 pages
Annotation
This report to the United Nations General Assembly by the Ad Hoc Committee for the Negotiation of a Convention Against Corruption documents what was achieved at each of the committee's seven sessions and presents a draft resolution recommended for adoption by the U.N. General Assembly.
Abstract
The adoption of the Committee's resolution would in effect constitute the General Assembly's adoption of the proposed United Nations Convention Against Corruption annexed to this report. The Convention's statement of its purposes indicates that they are to promote and strengthen measures to prevent and combat corruption by public officials more efficiently and effectively; to promote, facilitate, and support international cooperation and technical assistance in the prevention of and fight against corruption, including in asset recovery; and to promote integrity, accountability, and proper management of public affairs and public property. In the Convention, the chapter on preventive measures addresses anti-corruption policies and practices, prevention bodies, the role of the public sector, codes of conduct for public officials, public procurement and the management of public finances, public reporting, measures related to the judiciary and prosecution services, the role of the private sector, and measures to prevent money laundering. The chapter on criminalization and law enforcement addresses the bribery of national public officials; the bribery of foreign public officials and officials of public international organizations; embezzlement, misappropriation, or other diversion of property by a public official; trading in influence; abuse of functions; illicit enrichment; bribery in the private sector; embezzlement of property in the private sector; laundering proceeds of crime; concealment; obstruction of justice; the liability of legal persons; participation and attempt; and knowledge, intent, and purpose as elements of an offense. Other provisions in this chapter of the Convention pertain to procedures for the criminal justice processing of defendants charged with a corruption offense. The remaining chapters of the Convention deal with the means and procedures for international cooperation in countering the corruption of public officials, asset recovery, technical assistance and information exchange, and procedures for implementing the Convention.