In a speech on Thursday, the UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres thanked Saudi Arabia for financing the Riyadh Initiative, which is aimed at establishing the Global Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Network (GlobE) network, during its presidency of the G20 last year.
In his speech during the first UN General Assembly Special Session against corruption, which included the inauguration of GlobE, Guterres said corruption is not just an immoral act, but a crime that is often organized and transnational. He added that it “siphons off resources for sustainable development.”
He said that strengthening political commitment to fighting corruption, recovering stolen assets and depriving criminals of the opportunity to access safe havens for themselves and their finances is necessary to achieve sustainable-development goals, promote peace and preserve human rights.
He described the establishment of GlobE as “a step in the right direction” that will “enable law enforcement authorities to navigate legal processes through informal cooperation across borders, helping to build trust and bringing those guilty of corruption to justice.”
GlobE will provide nations and independent anti-corruption authorities with practical solutions and tools to investigate corrupt operations and prosecute the perpetrators.
The secretary-general said that the UN will continue to provide technical assistance in line with the position UN member states agreed upon during the period that preceded the special session based on the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC).