December 9 2016
New international guidance on fighting corruption in the development sector goes into effect today, backed by more than 40 countries, with progress on agreed recommendations to be monitored by the OECD Working Group on Bribery and the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC).
Launched on International Anti-Corruption Day, the OECD Recommendation for Development Cooperation Actors on Managing Risks of Corruption calls on countries to create or improve systems for avoiding and responding to corrupt practices in the management and delivery of aid by development agencies and private firms. Anti-corruption systems should include codes of ethics, whistleblowing mechanisms, financial controls and sanctions for misconduct, among other elements.
The new Recommendation:
- Suggests measures to prevent and detect corruption in projects financed by official development assistance (ODA).
- Details sanctions to be provided in ODA contracts to enable agencies to respond adequately to cases of corruption.
- Advises countries’ international development agencies to work towards corruption risk management systems that include codes of ethics, whistleblowing mechanisms, financial control and monitoring tools, sanctions, coordination in responding to corruption cases.