DILI, 9 december 2021 (TATOLI) – The United Nations is committed to supporting CAC to combat corruption in Timor-Leste to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
“Timor-Leste needs all resources and opportunities to respond to and recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and to make progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Preventing and fighting corruption is one important way to retain and attract resources and to unlock opportunities for the people of Timor-Leste,” the Representative of the UN Resident Coordinator in Timor-Leste, Bilal Aurang Zeb Durrani made the comments in his remarks at the commemoration of the International Anti-Corruption Day 2021, at CNE’s hall, in Dili, on thursday.
He said Corruption is a complex phenomenon that affects all countries and all societies. Corruption undermines democratic institutions, slows economic development, and further exacerbates inequalities.
Durrani informed that the role of the Anti-Corruption Commission (CAC) is vital in Timor-Leste: “Together with the National Parliament, the Judiciary, and the Court, the Commission plays a vital role in preventing and ensuring strong anti-corruption measures are enforced in the country.”
“Anti-corruption measures lead to wider access to essential services, including health, education, and social protection, particularly for vulnerable groups, such as women, children, older persons, and people with disabilities,” said Durrani.
He said that fighting corruption and increased transparency go hand-in-hand: “Transparency helps the citizens – the rights holders – to hold duty bearers accountable for the common good. Transparency is not only about making information available but ensuring that it can be easily accessed, understood, and used by citizens. Transparency also helps prevent corruption from taking place and build trust between the people and the government.”
UN agencies, such as UNDP and UNODC, have been supporting the Anti-Corruption Commission since its establishment in both prevention and investigation areas. Most recent activities include anti-corruption diagnostic assessment of 11 government institutions; the National Conference Commemorating the CAC’s 10th anniversary on february 10 and various training for municipality civil servants and the youth.
“The United Nations is committed to continuing its cooperation with the CAC, especially regarding the National Anti-Corruption Strategy and Action Plan. It is one of the primary prevention tasks for CAC to develop, supervise and coordinate the execution,” he highlighted.
He said the United Nations is also gathering up its support in Timor-Leste in strengthening the national public procurement system and criminal investigation on corruption offenses and developing the asset declaration system.
Durrani stressed that Anti-Corruption is everyone’s business: “The Government, the private sector, the civil society, the media, and the international community, all need to work together for the common good. The UN in Timor-Leste is determined to continue to support national and local actors to prevent and counter corruption.”
In the Asia Pacific region, Timor-Leste is recognized as one of the countries that have made continued and steady progress in the area of anti-corruption.
According to Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI), Timor-Leste is one of the significant improvers, with the country’s CPI jumping 10 points between 2013 and 2020.
The corruption Rank in Timor-Leste decreased to 86 in 2020 from 93 in 2019.
At the same place, the Commissary of Timor-Leste’s Anti-Corruption Commission, Sergio Hornai said fighting and preventing corruption is vital to strengthen national integrity.
“Combating corruption is requires a collective effort of all parties. Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today to combat corruption,” said Hornai.
International Anti-Corruption Day has been observed annually, on 9 December, since the passage of the United Nations Convention against Corruption on October 31, 2003, to raise public awareness for anti-corruption.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges Rosario
