Preventing and combating corrupt practices and the transfer of proceeds of corruption,
facilitating asset recovery and returning such assets to legitimate owners, in particular to
countries of origin, in accordance with the United Nations Convention against Corruption
A/RES/69/199
Recognizing that fighting corruption at all levels and in all its forms is a
priority and that corruption is a serious barrier to effective resource mobilization
and allocation and diverts resources away from activities that are vital for poverty
eradication and sustainable development,
Recognizing also that education plays a fundamental role in the fight against
corruption, inasmuch as it makes corrupt behaviour socially unacceptable,
Reaffirming the importance of respect for human rights, the rule of law, the
proper management of public affairs and democracy in the fight against corruption,
Realizing that the fight against corruption at all levels, including by facilitating
international cooperation to achieve the purposes enshrined in the Convention,
including on asset recovery and return, plays an important role in the promotion and
protection of all human rights and in the process of creating an environment
conducive to their full enjoyment and realization,
Recognizing that supportive national legal systems are essential in preventing
and combating corrupt practices, facilitating asset recovery and returning the
proceeds of corruption to legitimate owners,
Recalling that the purposes of the Convention, as set out in article 1, are to
promote and strengthen measures to prevent and combat corruption more efficiently
and effectively, to promote, facilitate and support international cooperation and
technical assistance in the prevention of and fight against corruption, including in
asset recovery, and to promote the integrity, accountability and proper management
of public affairs and public property,
Welcoming the commitment of States parties to the Convention, and determined
to give effect to the obligations set out in chapter V of the Convention in order to
prevent, detect, deter and recover in a more effective manner the international transfer
of proceeds of crime and to strengthen international cooperation in asset recovery,
Recognizing that those who engage in corrupt acts, whether natural or legal
persons, consistent with domestic law and the requirements of the Convention,
should be held accountable and prosecuted by their domestic authorities, and that all
appropriate efforts should be made to conduct a financial investigation into assets
illegally acquired by them and to recover such assets through domestic confiscation
proceedings, international cooperation for purposes of confiscation or appropriate
direct recovery measures,
Acknowledging that the fight against all forms of corruption requires
comprehensive anti-corruption frameworks and strong institutions at all levels,
including at the local and international levels, able to undertake efficient preventive
and law enforcement measures in accordance with the Convention, in particular
chapters II and III,
Recognizing that the success of the Mechanism for the Review of
Implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption depends on
the full commitment and constructive engagement of all States parties to the
Convention in a progressive and comprehensive process, and recalling in that regard
resolution 3/1 of 13 November 2009 of the Conference of the States Parties to the
Convention, 3 including the terms of reference of the Mechanism contained in the
annex to that resolution, as well as decision 5/1 of 29 November 2013 of the
Conference of the States Parties,4
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3
4
2/11
See CAC/COSP/2009/15, sect. I.A.
See CAC/COSP/2013/18, sect. I.B.