Promotion of international cooperation to combat illicit financial flows and
strengthen good practices on assets return to foster sustainable development
A/RES/73/222
effective implementation, including full support for the Mechanism for the Review of
Implementation of the Convention,
Reaffirming the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized
Crime, 2
Recalling its resolutions 65/169 of 20 December 2010, 71/213 of 21 December
2016 and 72/207 of 20 December 2017,
Recalling also its resolutions 71/208 of 19 December 2016 and 72/196 of
19 December 2017,
Reiterating its deep concern about the impact of illicit financial flows, in
particular those caused by tax evasion, corruption and transnational organized crime,
on the economic, social and political stability and development of soc ieties, and
especially on developing countries,
Recognizing the challenge posed by the increasing scope and complexity of
illicit financial flows and the need for the recovery and return of stolen assets, which
necessitates international cooperation,
Reaffirming the importance of chapter V of the United Nations Convention
against Corruption, and underlining that the recovery and return of stolen assets
pursuant to that chapter is a fundamental principle of the Convention,
Recognizing the work carried out by the Conference of the States Parties to the
United Nations Convention against Corruption, and in particular its Open -ended
Intergovernmental Working Group on Asset Recovery, to advance the full
implementation of chapter V of the Convention,
Taking note of the technical resources produced by the United Nations Office
on Drugs and Crime and the World Bank through the Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative,
Encouraging States parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption
to make full use of the asset recovery tools set forth in chapter V of the Convention,
including mechanisms for the enforcement of foreign restraining and confiscation
orders, as a means of significantly reducing expenses that a State party may normally
incur in pursuing asset recovery,
Calling upon all States parties to the United Nations Convention against
Corruption, in particular requesting and requested States, to cooperate to recover the
proceeds of crime, as defined in the Convention, and to demonstrate their strong
commitment to ensuring the return or disposal of such proceeds, in accordance with
article 57 of the Convention,
Recognizing that combating illicit financial flows involves an essential
development challenge, and emphasizing that illicit financial flows red uce the
availability of valuable resources for financing for development,
Recognizing also that global knowledge of the importance of combating illicit
financial flows and enhancing the return of assets is rapidly increasing, as is the
political will to recover illicitly acquired assets by both requesting and requested
States, and noting that while many challenges remain unresolved, tackling them
effectively requires a holistic approach that recognizes the different types of illicit
financial flows and their impact on sustainable development,
Recognizing further the important work undertaken by academia and civil
society, including the International Centre for Asset Recovery and the U4
Anti-Corruption Resource Centre, in assisting Member States in understa nding the
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Ibid., vol. 2225, No. 39574.
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