From “the Southeast Asian Anti-Corruption Network (SEA-ACN) Roundtable Discussion” to guidelines for transparency and corruption-free by good cooperation in Southeast Asia!
On June 8, 2024, Knowledge hub for Regional Anti-corruption and good governance Collaboration (KRAC) organized a roundtable discussion at the Chamber Room, S31 Sukhumvit Hotel, Bangkok. This event was under the collaboration network of the Southeast Asian Anti-Corruption Network (SEA-ACN) and supported by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
This marked the gathering of SEA-ACN to promote joint efforts in fostering transparency and accountability in the region, in line with United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). It provided a platform for exchanging knowledge, perspectives, experiences, and planning anti-corruption strategies among relevant anti-corruption agencies in the region. This strengthened cooperation and established a robust alliance to combat corruption in Southeast Asia effectively.
The roundtable discussion commenced with opening remarks by four distinguished speakers:
- Ms. Annika Wythes Regional Anti-Corruption Advisor, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific
- Ms. Erica Villborg Lindstrand Programme Specialist, Human Rights, Democracy, Rule of Law & Gender Equality, Embassy of Sweden
- Ms. Roshni Nirody Ostergaard Director, International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, US Embassy in Thailand
- Ms. Cynthia Gabriel Senior Anti-Corruption Advisor/Consultant for ASEAN Region, Center for International Private Enterprise
The opening remarks underscored that the roundtable discussion aimed to bolster regional cooperation in Southeast Asia against corruption, recognizing the adverse impacts of corruption in various aspects. They emphasized the need for clear anti-corruption guidelines and laws, requiring the participation of multiple sectors, including government, civil society organizations, academia, and the media, to combat corruption.
The session thus created an exchange platform for regional collaboration and provided an opportunity to establish a cooperative framework for addressing corruption issues, potentially extending to global partnerships for practical and actionable anti-corruption plans to develop a transparent society in the region.
The event included discussions on four key topics:
Open Data:
Participants discussed setting standards for open data to ensure uniform access, facilitating the easy exchange of data sets among network members. You can find the summary of this brainstorming session available here >> SEA-ACN Roundtable | Standardizing Open Data on Politically Exposed Persons: Key to Combatting Money Laundering
Public Procurement:
The discussion covered studying public procurement processes and financial audits, comparing and analyzing the commonalities and differences among countries, and creating risk assessment models for potential corruption. You can find the summary of this brainstorming session available here >> SEA-ACN Roundtable | Unclear Government Procurement Processes Could Pave the Way for Corruption
Whistleblowing Protection:
Participants exchanged best practices for protecting whistleblowers across the region and discussed the current state of whistleblower protection in different countries, highlighting its importance. You can find the summary of this brainstorming session available here >> SEA-ACN Roundtable | Whistleblower Summit: Empowering Courage to Report Corruption
Business Integrity:
This session addressed anti-corruption principles and corporate governance in the private sector, emphasizing collaboration among private and civil society sectors to pressure governments for stricter laws and support actionable anti-corruption strategies. You can find the summary of this brainstorming session available here >> SEA-ACN Roundtable | Transform Your Organization with the Power of Corporate Governance
The knowledge exchange among experts, academics, and anti-corruption practitioners from various countries in the region revealed pathways and operational plans for advancing regional anti-corruption efforts, driven by UNODC, KRAC, and network agencies. This collaboration aims to sustain anti-corruption efforts among civil society organizations in Southeast Asia in the future.
Although the roundtable discussion has concluded, KRAC will summarize key points from the four discussion groups for those interested to learn and share their thoughts. Follow these updates on Facebook at KRAC Corruption
Knowledge hub for Regional Anti-corruption and good governance Collaboration (KRAC)
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