In pursuit of amplifying the business voices in global, regional and national discussions, the UN Global Compact and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reached a significant milestone by bringing, for the first time, the private sector to a regional platform on anti-corruption.
Notably, one-fourth of the attendees of the Eastern Africa Anti-Corruption Platform regional meeting were business participants, including company founders and owners of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), illustrating how the private sector is key in the fight against corruption and the drive towards sustainability.he regional conference of the Eastern Africa Anti-Corruption Platform was held from 20 to 23 May in Nairobi, with 20 business representatives participating to fast-track implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC).
Participants also included the Executive Directors of Global Compact Country Networks from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya and Tanzania and the Country Manager of Global Compact Country Network Rwanda.
Achievements and discussions
Conversations took place in high-level discussions among public and private sector representatives from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
Conference participants defined a collective way forward in the region’s anti-corruption efforts, with Government officials and business representatives developing and endorsing a roadmap of commitments. These included specific deliverables related to anti-corruption policies and legal frameworks that promote corporate compliance, Collective Action and incentives for business integrity - three top priorities of the UN Global Compact work.
Growing focus on business integrity and Collective Action
Business integrity has gained significant attention since the Private Sector Forum, hosted during the 10th Conference of the States Parties (CoSP) to UNCAC in December 2023. The private sector Collective Action workstream also has drawn significant inspiration from Resolution 10/12 titled “Providing incentives for the private sector to adopt integrity measures to prevent and combat corruption” adopted at CoSP10 as well as from the Call-to-Action from business to Government on the 20th anniversary of the UNCAC.
In addition, during the regional conference, the 2024 publication “A Resource Guide on State Measures for Strengthening Business Integrity” developed by the UN Global Compact, UNODC and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) inspired dialogue on the balance between sanctions and incentives for states in enhancing business integrity.
Following the regional platform event, on 24 May, Global Compact Kenya Network hosted a
Business Integrity Conference, bringing together 88 participants from the private sector, Governments and civil society to discuss concrete case studies and ways to collectively overcome challenges.
During the conference, Director of Ethics & Leadership at the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) John Lolkoloi emphasized the importance of collaboration and urged sector players to come together to craft anti-corruption legislation and codes of conduct, essential for fostering a clean business environment.
Judy Njino, Executive Director of Global Compact Network Kenya, noted that corruption remains a significant obstacle to economic and social development. She stressed the vital role businesses play in preventing corruption, emphasizing the need for Collective Action.
”The call to action is clear. Companies must uphold integrity, promote responsible practices and support sustainable development. Let's champion these principles and work towards a corruption-free future by 2030," said Cristina Ritter, Head of Anti-Corruption and Governance at the UN Global Compact.
Background
Since December 2023, the UN Global Compact and UNODC have worked together to galvanize the role of the private sector in the fight against corruption, especially in developing countries, and to tackle corruption with a multisectoral approach through the project “Uniting Leaders for Business Integrity”, funded by the U.S. Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.
By fostering Collective Action to strengthen policy and legislative frameworks that incentivize business integrity and penalize wrongdoing, and by supporting companies in adopting and implementing anti-corruption standards, the project contributes to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development along with UNCAC and Principle Ten of the UN Global Compact.