United Nations

The Conference of the States Parties (CoSP) is the main policymaking body of the United Nations Convention against Corruption. It supports States parties and signatories in their implementation of the Convention, enhances cooperation among States in achieving the objectives of the Convention, and gives policy guidance to UNODC to develop and implement anti-corruption activities. The Conference meets every two years and adopts resolutions and decisions to further its mandate. The ninth session was taking place in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.

The GlobE Network contributed to CoSP9 by raising awareness and understanding of the GlobE Network and garnered political support for the GlobE Network through its high level side-event, its lounge, supporting the adoption of the resolution on international cooperation, engaging in several CoSP plenary discussions, where multiple states affirmed their commitment to the GlobE Network, and many bilateral meetings held between senior members of the UNODC secretariat and country representatives, with GlobE also on the agenda. The GlobE Network Charter with establishment background and outcomes of the first meeting was made available to all States parties prior to the CoSP9.

GlobE High-level side event

Cross-border cooperation to end corruption: GlobE Network — a global operational network of anti-corruption law enforcement authorities

On 13 December 2021, GlobE organised a high level special event, co-hosted by Saudi Arabia, in the El Wadi Room at Sharm el Sheikh. A high level panel of distinguished speakers conducted an engaging discussion, facilitated by Ms. Manuela Popescu of Romania, a GlobE member focal point and experienced anti-corruption practitioner, with 70 in-person participants and another 43 online representatives. The UNODC Executive Director, Ms Ghada Waly, opened the event and insightful discussions were had on how GlobE could contribute to the international landscape of anti-corruption transnational law enforcement. 

GlobE member lounge

The GlobE collaborative workspace lounge was positioned at the entrance to the Plenary and attracted many representatives, who utilised it for conversations with colleagues, for a quiet moment with coffee, to get up-to-date with emails and to learn more about the GlobE Network.

Plenary discussions and GlobE

Several CoSP9 plenary speakers welcomed the creation of the GlobE Network and encouraged more competent authorities from States parties to join the Network as the  GlobE Network could fill an important gap by providing the possibility of a truly global network for anti-corruption law enforcement authorities to facilitate informal cooperation.

Speakers from several Member States reaffirmed that corruption could not be eradicated by individual States parties and that a whole-of-government approach was required. Speakers underscored the growing need for focused, coordinated international cooperation, noting that the political declaration would have an important impact on strengthening such cooperation to combat cross-border corruption. Some speakers emphasized that the GlobE Network played a critical role in that regard, along with the sharing of good practices and experiences and the use of technology to strengthen the effectiveness of international networks.

The Resolution on International co-operation and GlobE

The CoSP9 resolution on “Enhancing international anti-corruption law enforcement cooperation” was sponsored by Austria, China, Indonesia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Spain, the State of Palestine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States and Yemen.

The first three operative paragraphs of the resolution read as follows:

The Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption, [...]

1. Welcomes  the work undertaken by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in the establishment of the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities (GlobE Network), which is aimed at providing a quick, agile and efficient toolkit for combating cross-border corruption offences, strengthening communication exchange and peer learning between competent anti-corruption law enforcement authorities and complementing and coordinating with existing and efficient platforms for international cooperation;

2. Invites  States parties that have not yet done so to encourage their anti-corruption law enforcement authorities to join, effectively participate in and make best use of the GlobE Network;

3. Also invites  States parties that have not yet done so to encourage their authorities to participate in and make best use of opportunities for cooperation through other international organizations, networks and entities such as the Stolen Asset Recovery (StAR) Initiative and the asset recovery inter-agency networks, as well as to promote synergies with the GlobE Network, as appropriate;

This resolution reinforces the importance of international cooperation and its adoption the political will to enable informal cooperation, the important role of the GlobE Network, and of coordination between networks and other entities active in combatting transnational corruption.

Before the CoSP9, the conference room paper "GlobE Network: Background and outcomes of the 1st meeting including the Charter" was made available to States parties.

UNODC Executive Director speaking at the GlobE high level special event 

Whilst some were working away in the GlobE booth, others were in deep conversation about how the GlobE Network with its UNODC Secretariat can most effectively enable informal cooperation. 

Informally sharing experience on combatting transnational corruption during a Plenary break 

Early morning at CoSP9