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/73/190 Recognizing that education plays a fundamental role in the prevention of and fight against corruption, inasmuch as it makes corrupt behaviour socially unacceptable, Reaffirming the importance of respect for human rights, the rule of law at the national and international levels, the proper management of public affairs and democracy in the fight against corruption, Acknowledging that good governance, at the national and international levels, has a role in the prevention of and fight against corruption, Recognizing that improvements in the promotion and protection of human rights at the domestic level have a role to play in the prevention of and the fight against corruption at all levels, 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, Recalling also article 43, paragraph 1, of the Convention, in which States parties are encouraged, where appropriate and consistent with their domestic legal systems, to consider assisting each other in investigations of and proceedings in civil and administrative matters relating to corruption, Welcoming the commitment of States parties to the Convention, in particular their determination 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, Recalling the third preambular paragraph of the Convention, in which States parties expressed concern about cases of corruption that involve vast quantities of assets, which may constitute a substantial proportion of the resources of States, and that threaten the political stability and sustainable development of those States, Recognizing that those who engage in corrupt acts, whether natural or legal persons, should be held accountable and prosecuted by their domestic authorities, consistent with domestic law and the requirements of the Convention, 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 confisca tion 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 un dertake efficient preventive and law enforcement measures in accordance with the Convention, in particular 18-22286 3/15