{"id":70412,"date":"2016-05-11T17:11:00","date_gmt":"2016-05-11T17:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=0da9e26e2907d97fdc8bd6bd17bfe288"},"modified":"2016-05-11T17:11:00","modified_gmt":"2016-05-11T17:11:00","slug":"speech-justine-greening-tackling-corruption-together","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=70412","title":{"rendered":"Speech: Justine Greening: Tackling corruption together"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Introduction: the cost of corruption<\/h3>\n

Thank you for that introduction and thank you to our hosts the Commonwealth Secretariat and Baroness Scotland. <\/p>\n

I\u2019m delighted to be able to join you today. This conference is an absolutely critical precursor to tomorrow\u2019s Anti-Corruption Summit<\/a>. I know there have already been some important and wide-ranging discussions over the course of today. <\/p>\n

I\u2019m not going to take this opportunity to make a long and detailed argument about why corruption is a bad thing\u2026<\/p>\n

We know corruption is propping up failed and failing regimes, and providing cash for criminals and terrorists. We know how corruption is bad for global economic growth \u2013 and adds about 10% to business costs globally.<\/p>\n

We also know how, behind all the statistics, there are people\u2026 people being robbed of the life they might have had\u2026women being sexually exploited when they try to get basic services like water and electricity. People who then have no chance to get justice from corrupt law enforcement officials.<\/p>\n

Corruption hurts the poorest most \u2013 but in the end it is a threat to the national interests of every country. <\/p>\n

The brilliant \u2018Leaders Manifesto<\/a>\u2019 published by Transparency International today is an extraordinarily powerful call to arms for why we must take action now. <\/p>\n

Corruption is bad for people. Bad for development. And bad for business.<\/p>\n

And yet \u2013 despite knowing how much it costs us – as a global community I believe we have been far too hesitant about getting to grips with corruption. It\u2019s too often been seen as too entrenched, too widespread, just too subsuming to knock down. <\/p>\n

So the questions we\u2019re left with are not whether corruption should be fought but whether corruption can be fought and whether we – as a global community – are prepared to fight it?<\/p>\n

Growing momentum<\/h3>\n

The answer to the first question is yes \u2013 yes, we can fight corruption and secondly yes, we can defeat it.<\/p>\n

Many brilliant examples of civil society, citizens, businesses and governments fighting corruption have been showcased here today. <\/p>\n

And for the last few years there\u2019s been growing momentum around this agenda. <\/p>\n

The Open Government Partnership<\/a>, strongly championed by the UK and others as part of our role in driving forward a global movement on transparency, has grown from 8 to 69 countries since 2011. Greatly welcome President Buhari\u2019s commitment that Nigeria will join. <\/p>\n

The Sustainable Development Goals<\/a> agreed by the world last year acknowledged the vital importance of tackling corruption for defeating poverty – with Global Goal Number 16 committing us to reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m very proud of how the UK, led by our Prime Minister David Cameron, has seized the initiative on this these last few years. The government\u2019s 2010 Bribery Act<\/a> introduced some of the world\u2019s strictest legislation on bribery – making companies corporately liable to prosecution if they fail to prevent bribery. We are first major country in the world to establish a public central registry of who really owns and controls companies that will go live next month.<\/p>\n

But we need to do more \u2013 and do more together. Which is of course the theme for today, and indeed for tomorrow, tackling corruption together \u2013 all of us, civil society, business, government leaders and citizens.<\/p>\n

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\"Picture:<\/div>
Justine Greening speaking at the Commonwealth Secretariat. Picture: Cordelia Nelson\/DFID<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Summit: exposing, punishing and driving out corruption<\/h3>\n

So is the world really prepared to take the comprehensive actions needed to stamp out corruption? <\/p>\n

Tomorrow\u2019s summit<\/a>, hosted by our Prime Minister, is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to show that we are. The summit brings together world leaders from Afghanistan to Colombia to Nigeria to Norway, multinational companies, civil society groups, law enforcement bodies and multilaterals like the UN and the World Bank.<\/p>\n

But whether or not this summit will truly be a turning point in the fight against corruption depends on whether this unique coalition will commit to practical, transformative steps that will expose corruption, punish the perpetrators and drive out entrenched corruption wherever it exists.<\/p>\n

We all know the world we want \u2013 countries\u2019 resources being used to improve people\u2019s lives not stolen and squandered domestically or hidden abroad – the international legal system effectively recovering stolen funds and the perpetrators being punished – citizens being able to report and expose the corruption if they encounter it in their daily lives – businesses operating in a level playing field. <\/p>\n

So what needs to happen tomorrow to ensure that we get there?<\/p>\n

Firstly, tomorrow\u2019s summit is about developed countries including the UK getting their own house in order and making key commitments.<\/p>\n

In critical areas such as:<\/p>\n