Anti-Corruption Working Group Meeting opens in Moscow

Opening the Anti-Corruption Working Group Meeting (ACWG) Dmitry Feoktistov, the Co-Chair of the meeting and Deputy Director of the Department on New Challenges and Threats of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted that in accordance with the working group principles the agenda is focused on the consistent discussion of the G20 Anti-Corruption Action Plan for 2013-2014. Within the course of the first ACWG meeting the discussion will be organized around four core topics: combating foreign and domestic bribery, international cooperation, cooperation with the private sector and civil society and enhancing transparency and accountability. Moreover, this year Russia has introduced several new proposals for the ACWG agenda. One of the suggestions deals with exploring the positive impact of robust anti-corruption policies on growth. G20 AC news

Background information

The G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group (ACWG) was established in June 2010, at the Toronto Summit. Its primary goal was to prepare “comprehensive recommendations for consideration by Leaders of how the G20 could continue to make practical and valuable contributions to international efforts to combat corruption.

Laws are one thing, enforcement quite another. Public pressure may not create political will among decision-makers. Anti-corruption laws can be politicised and used for partisan purposes.