Outcome Document and Chair's Statement
G20 Anti-Corruption Ministerial Meeting
Kolkata, India, August 12, 2023
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[The Outcome Document pertains to paragraphs 1-21, and paragraphs 23-25, which have been unanimously agreed to by all G20 delegations. The Chair's Summary pertains to paragraph 22 only.]
We, the G20 Ministers and authorities, vested with responsibilities for preventing and combatting corruption, met in Kolkata for the G20 Anti-Corruption Ministerial Meeting on 12th August 2023 under the Indian Presidency, to strengthen collective actions towards countering corruption and lead by example in the global fight against corruption. Corruption is a severe impediment to economic growth and building prosperity and security for our countries and communities. It impedes market competition, undermines the rule of law and erodes citizens' trust in institutions, thus impacting implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In taking steps to strengthen the international anti-corruption architecture through the G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group (ACWG) platform, we are inspired by the vision of "One Earth, One Family, One Future", the theme of the G20 presidency in 2023.
We acknowledge the contributions of past G20 Presidencies and seek to build on the first Anti-Corruption Ministerial Meeting convened under the G20 Presidency of Saudi Arabia in 2020 which sets out a comprehensive anti-corruption agenda. We also acknowledge the contributions made by all member countries, guest countries, G20 engagement groups, international organizations, and law enforcement cooperation networks in supporting the work of the ACWG.
In the 20th year of adoption of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) by the UN General Assembly and its opening for signature by Member States at a high-level political conference convened for that purpose in Merida, Mexico, from 9 to 11 December, 2003, we recommit to fulfilling the obligations under the Convention. We commend the convening of the special session of the UN General Assembly against corruption held from 2 to 4 June 2021 and reconfirm our common commitment to effectively addressing the challenges and implementing measures to prevent and combat corruption and strengthen international cooperation as enshrined in the 2021 political declaration adopted by that Special Session. We are committed to advancing our common interests and objectives across multilateral fora, including at the Conference of States Parties to UNCAC.
In addition to UNCAC, we continue to stress the importance of other treaties and standards that make up the international anti-corruption architecture particularly, the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC), the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions (OECD Anti-Bribery Convention) and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards as well as other relevant conventions; and to providing best efforts to ensure the effective promotion of the standards adopted by the G20 countries that strengthen the international anti-corruption architecture; and reiterate the importance of ensuring their effective implementation. In this context, we also welcome the adoption of the Makkah Al-Mukarramah Convention of the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Cooperation (2023). We recognize that these fora and instruments serve as the foundation for future efforts to expand and strengthen international cooperation and coordination against corruption and related challenges.
We continue to be guided by our past commitments and objectives endorsed by the G20 ACWG in the form of the high-level, guiding and common principles, G20 Anti-Corruption Action Plans and other shared commitments. We are committed to redoubling our efforts towards showcasing the status of our implementation of these commitments, sharing good practices to overcome common implementation challenges as well as following up on pending commitments, through the Accountability Report mechanism.
We recall the launch of Riyadh Initiative towards the creation of a Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities (GlobE Network) for Enhancing International Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Cooperation at the first Anti-Corruption Ministers Meeting and its welcome by G20 Leaders in 2020. GlobE is a clear demonstration of our resolve towards strengthening mechanisms of international cooperation between law enforcement authorities. In this context, we note the progress made in operationalizing the GlobE Network and look forward to GlobE together with other platforms and networks for international cooperation going a long way in reinforcing international cooperation and further strengthening the fight against corruption.
We acknowledge the important role of the Conference of the States parties to the UN Convention against Corruption and its subsidiary bodies as well as other relevant regional and international channels for enhancing international cooperation for preventing and combatting corruption, as well as the IOs participating regularly in the meetings of the G20 ACWG such as UNODC, WBG, OECD, FATF, IMF, Egmont Group and INTERPOL, including through joint sessions, as appropriate.
We acknowledge the role that individuals and other stakeholders, outside the public sector, play in the anti-corruption efforts and reaffirm our commitment to adopting and promoting a multi-stakeholder approach towards preventing and combatting corruption. We also recognize the need to promote the wider participation of such stakeholders as part of a holistic approach to support the effective implementation of the G20 High Level Principles, other G20 commitments and the wider objectives of the UNCAC. We acknowledge the necessity to enhance our engagement with and to promote active participation by these stakeholders in our anti-corruption efforts including, on a voluntary basis, in relation to UNCAC Implementation Review Mechanism. To promote such participation, we will endeavour to make efforts so that the conditions are present for their effective contribution to achieving the objectives of the Convention including the ability to operate independently and without fear of reprisal because of their efforts in that regard, in accordance with domestic law and our respective applicable international obligations.
We recall our past commitments, including those made during 2020 Ministerial Meeting and in the 2022-24 Anti-Corruption Action Plan, towards ongoing anti-corruption priorities such as, international anti-corruption law enforcement cooperation; accountability and transparency; asset recovery; beneficial ownership transparency; denial of safe haven; criminalizing bribery; integrity of public and private sectors; public participation and anti-corruption education; strengthening our engagement with stakeholders outside the public sector; and reiterate to continue working towards these commitments.
We reaffirm our commitment, including the 2020 Ministerial, to demonstrate and continue concrete efforts and share information on our actions towards criminalizing foreign bribery and enforcing foreign bribery legislation in line with Article 16 of UNCAC and welcome the ACWG efforts in striving towards this goal. We look forward to enlarging participation to the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, as appropriate.
We express our concern about the links between corruption and other forms of crime, in particular, organized crime and economic crime, including money laundering, and will continue to enhance our understanding and strengthen our responses to any existing, growing and potential links, and disrupt them, recognizing that corruption can often be an enabler of other transnational crimes and illicit financial flows. We will strive to reinforce our regulatory regimes to counter the cross-border movement of persons involved in the commission of corruption offences and proceeds of crime, including through eliminating any deficiencies therein, as well as to investigate and prosecute such offences, when possible and consistent with domestic law. Where appropriate and consistent with domestic law and international obligations, we will work towards denying safe haven and entry to our domestic territory to those who commit corruption offenses and their family members, who knowingly benefit from their crimes, also with a view to strengthening international cooperation to facilitate the return of persons sought for corruption offences.
We endorse the G20 High-Level Principles on Strengthening Law Enforcement related International Cooperation and Information Sharing for Combatting Corruption and commit to work towards strengthening cooperation amongst Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs), and other relevant authorities including through effective, efficient and appropriate sharing of and utilization of relevant information in accordance with domestic laws and international obligations. We commit to establishing, where necessary, and maintaining effective frameworks enabling international law enforcement cooperation and leveraging channels of cooperation among relevant authorities for providing assistance in combatting corruption. We commit to ensuring effective mechanisms for maintaining and sharing beneficial ownership information in line with FATF standards, consider spontaneous sharing of information, where consistent with domestic law; and take measures to improve the capacity of law enforcement authorities to cooperate with their counterparts in other jurisdictions, including in responding to challenges associated with new and emerging technologies.
We endorse the G20 High-Level Principles on Strengthening Asset Recovery Mechanisms for combatting Corruption and commit to making the recovery and return of proceeds of crime a key anti-corruption policy objective. We will take steps to ensure that tools, mechanisms and processes for timely and effective identification and tracing of proceeds of crime are available to relevant domestic authorities and can be used effectively for making and executing requests for asset tracing and identification, consistent with domestic law and applicable international legal obligations. We acknowledge that central and competent authorities serving as focal points to facilitate pre-MLA cooperation can enhance our efforts to effectively identify and trace proceeds of crime. We pledge to work together on meeting the requisite requirements for timely restraint, freezing or seizure of proceeds of crime in order to prevent dissipation of assets suspected to be proceeds of crime. We commit to ensuring that domestic asset recovery frameworks provide for the use of a wide range of legal powers, tools and measures for effective asset recovery which may include, consistent with domestic law, non-conviction-based confiscation, in appropriate cases, and effective enforcement of foreign confiscation orders. We also pledge to make effective use of open-source and other relevant information for successful asset recovery and to ensure timely and effective coordination and communication between countries' competent authorities to facilitate timely execution of cross-jurisdictional asset recovery requests.
We endorse the G20 High-Level Principles on Promoting Integrity and Effectiveness of Public Bodies and Authorities responsible for Preventing and Combatting Corruption and commit to take measures to ensure that public bodies and authorities responsible for preventing and combatting corruption have clear and appropriate mandates and the capacity to prevent and combat corruption. We commit to providing these bodies with the necessary independence and resources, in accordance with the fundamental principles of domestic frameworks, legal systems and laws to enable them to carry out their functions effectively and free from undue influence. We are committed to ensure these bodies are open and transparent and that they maintain accountability in the performance of their functions. We seek to ensure that officials or other persons engaged by such bodies and authorities maintain high standards of integrity, including through code of ethics or conduct; to promote inclusiveness, including by seeking to ensure women's full, equal and meaningful participation and leadership; and taking measures to ensure that an effective and comprehensive integrity framework that helps promote coherence between such bodies and authorities, is in place. We pledge to enhance effective cooperation among these bodies and authorities, and take steps to enhance their ability to face new and emerging challenges and risks. To illustrate our resolve to implement the commitments made in these principles, we, as Ministers and authorities vested with anti-corruption responsibilities, commit to demonstrate substantial progress towards having in place a code of ethics or conduct for our public officials and sharing good practices, as relevant.
We note that during the Indian Presidency, the G20 countries accepted to update their information in the existing G20 guides on international cooperation including on requesting international cooperation in civil and administrative proceedings relating to corruption, requesting mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, asset tracing, and asset recovery. This will enhance the utility of existing resource material on various aspects of international cooperation in the fight against corruption and the recovery of stolen assets in G20 countries.
We welcome the G20 ACWG Accountability Report on Mutual Legal Assistance which provides an overview of our collective progress on mutual legal assistance in matters related to corruption offences. We will consider the challenges identified and recommendations highlighted in the Accountability report as the G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group determines future areas of work.
We welcome the Compendium of Good Practices on enhancing the role of auditing in tackling corruption which builds upon the G20 High-Level Principles on Enhancing the Role of Auditing in Tackling Corruption endorsed during the Indonesian Presidency in 2022. We commit to continued collaboration between the Supreme Audit Institutions and other relevant institutions/bodies to more effectively prevent and fight corruption through sharing of experiences, challenges, best practices and lessons learnt to enhance good governance, by promoting integrity, accountability and transparency in public sector.
We recognize that e-governance and employing information and communications technology (ICT) can reduce avenues for corruption and increase transparency and accountability across the public and private sectors by modernizing governance, increasing efficiency, and improving service delivery. We remain committed to embracing responsible ICT innovations, enabling cross-sector collaboration, and enhancing cooperation and partnership for preventing and combatting corruption, in accordance with domestic law and with due regard for data protection and privacy rights.
We welcome the discussions on gender dimensions of corruption initiated under the Indian Presidency in 2023. We endeavour to work towards developing a body of evidence-based research to constitute a basis for collective initiatives on this issue by G20 member countries. We aspire to be mindful of and responsive to gender aspects in our anti-corruption strategies, in accordance with our domestic laws. We will seek to ensure women's full, equal and meaningful participation and leadership in preventing and combatting corruption.
We acknowledge the importance of enhancing our interactions with other stakeholders, including non-G20 countries, regional groups and organizations to sustain our efforts towards international cooperation against corruption. Recognizing the importance of interaction and dialogue with G20 engagement groups, we welcome their continued ongoing participation in the ACWG deliberations. We further endeavour to pursue a comprehensive and holistic approach to international cooperation against corruption by collaborating and synergizing our efforts with other G20 workstreams.
We recognize the importance of effectively measuring corruption, including in its various forms, by using evidence-based and reliable frameworks. We will continue our engagement and collaboration with the international organizations and other stakeholders in this respect.
The war in Ukraine has further adversely impacted the global economy. There was a discussion on the issue. We reiterated our national positions as expressed in other fora, including the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly, which, in Resolution No. ES-11/1 dated 2 March 2022, as adopted by majority vote (141 votes for, 5 against, 35 abstentions, 12 absent) deplores in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine and demands its complete and unconditional withdrawal from the territory of Ukraine. Most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and stressed it is causing immense human suffering and exacerbating existing fragilities in the global economy – constraining growth, increasing inflation, disrupting supply chains, heightening energy and food insecurity, and elevating financial stability risks. There were other views and different assessments of the situation and sanctions. Recognizing that the G20 is not the forum to resolve security issues, we acknowledge that security issues can have significant consequences for the global economy.[1][2]
It is essential to uphold international law and the multilateral system that safeguards peace and stability. This includes defending all the Purposes and Principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and adhering to international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians and infrastructure in armed conflicts. The use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible. The peaceful resolution of conflicts, efforts to address crises, as well as diplomacy and dialogue, are vital. Today's era must not be of war.
We will continue to lead by example through strengthening and implementing our obligations and commitments to anti-corruption efforts including through legally binding instruments, while renewing our commitment to zero tolerance for corruption. We look forward to intensifying our efforts to this end, and would endeavour to continue our focus on the issues already taken up by the G20 ACWG. We also welcome new areas for exploration in the G20 ACWG. We aim to demonstrate these efforts in establishing an ambitious G20 Anti-Corruption Action plan 2025-27 and anticipate focus on these and other topics of seminal significance as well as on the implementation of our existing commitments.
We thank the Indian Presidency for its leadership in 2023 and for reconvening the Anti-Corruption Ministerial Meeting. We also welcome and appreciate the Presidency's focus on providing extensive and practical recommendations for enhancing international cooperation for strengthening the fight against corruption. The second G20 Anti-Corruption Ministerial Meeting symbolizes the strong political resolve of the G20 forum in pursuing a comprehensive anti-corruption agenda and giving direction to ACWG's future work. We invite future G20 Presidencies to reconvene the Anti-Corruption Ministerial Meeting, as appropriate, and support implementation of the commitments made in the Anti-Corruption Ministerial Communiqué 2020 and Anti-Corruption Ministerial Meeting Outcome Document and Chair's Summary 2023.
[1] Russia recognizes the status of this document as Chair's Summary due to inclusion of Paragraph 22. Russia agrees with rest of the text. Russia has expressed its distinct view on the situation in Ukraine, geopolitical tensions, and sanctions during the meeting. Russia further stated that G20 is not the right platform to address security issues and opposed the inclusion of the geopolitical related content. ↩
[2] China stated that G20 is not the right platform to address security issues and opposed the inclusion of the geopolitical related content. ↩
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