Delivered by Radu Cotici, Anti-Corruption Adviser
It is a pleasure to address this Conference on behalf of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), the only global intergovernmental organization exclusively devoted to promoting the rule of law to advance peace and sustainable development.
We would like to congratulate the Government of Qatar and the UNODC team for their leadership at a critical time.
Around the world, corruption continues to erode public trust, weaken institutions, and undermine peace and sustainable development. By diverting critical resources away from essential public services – such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure – it hinders economic growth, fuels instability, and deepens inequality.
IDLO’s experience in some 100 countries over the past four decades has shown us the importance of reinforcing the indispensable link between the rule of law, anti-corruption, and sustainable development in order to deliver meaningful and lasting impact.
Through its global field presence – including in fragile and conflict-affected contexts – IDLO adopts a holistic approach to support partners' efforts to fight corruption through the rule of law.
We assist national partners to strengthen legal and policy frameworks that promote transparency, accountability, and increase alignment with international standards.
In Somalia, IDLO’s capacity-building support to the country’s first Financial Reporting Centre is already delivering measurable results, driving hundreds of prosecutions and arrests, multiple convictions, and the freezing of nearly USD 1 million in illicit assets in 2024.
As a core part of our work, we equip anti-corruption agencies, judges, prosecutors, investigators, and oversight bodies with the skills, tools, and frameworks needed to combat corruption and uphold integrity.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example, we are strengthening the national anti-corruption framework through a comprehensive legal review, support to the professionalization of the anti-corruption agency, and renewed momentum for the adoption of a draft anti-corruption law.
Similarly, in Ukraine, IDLO remains a steadfast partner to the Government in strengthening robust anti-corruption and accountability systems that are critical both in the current context and for post-conflict recovery, with support focused on ensuring judicial integrity, strengthening prosecutorial and economic oversight, and fostering national–international coordination.
IDLO also supports digital transformation as a powerful tool for integrity. Our work ranges from e-justice systems and digital registries to transparent public service platforms, designed to streamline operations and reduce corruption risks.
In Moldova, for instance, we are supporting the development of a new “E-Integrity” system for online asset declarations and automated integrity case management.
Across all our efforts, we remain mindful that corruption’s broad social costs are felt disproportionately by women, youth, and other marginalized groups.
In line with our people-centred approach, IDLO supports legal empowerment, community-based justice mechanisms, and safe pathways for individuals and communities to claim their rights and report corruption.
We recognize the UNCAC Implementation Review Mechanism as a vital platform for peer learning, dialogue, and shared accountability, and we encourage broad and meaningful participation of civil society and communities in review and implementation processes.
Looking ahead, we encourage stakeholders to reaffirm the centrality of people-centred justice, strengthen the integrity and professionalism of justice institutions, leverage digital transformation responsibly, and prioritize tailored rule-of-law support, including in fragile contexts.
IDLO remains committed to collaborating closely with States Parties, UNODC, and all partners to advance the implementation of the UNCAC through technical assistance, capacity development, legal reforms, and innovation.