ABU DHABI, DECEMBER 16 – The Italian Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna, Alessandro Cortese, addressed today the world’s primary anti-corruption conference which opened today in Abu Dhabi with a call to advance efforts to prevent and combat corruption to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
In his statement to the eighth session of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption, Cortese stressed Italy’s strong commitment to prevent and combat corruption and to address links between corruption and organized crime, as well as the need to foster partnerships with social society and the private sector.
“You meet at a critical moment. As we enter the Decade of Action to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals, we must unite against corruption to stop the drain on resources caused by illicit financial flows,” said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in a message to the Conference from Geneva: “Corruption threatens the well-being of our societies, the future of our children and the health of our planet. It must be fought by all, for all.”

The Convention against Corruption, with 186 parties, is the only legally binding universal anti-corruption instrument. Every two years, the States parties to the Convention meet to review the implementation of the Convention and to discuss how States can better tackle corruption. The week-long meeting brings together more than 1,300 participants from countries around the world. Some 15 draft resolutions will be considered. Among the topics to be discussed at the eighth session are prevention, asset recovery and international cooperation, as well as the preparations for the special session of the General Assembly against corruption, to be held in 2021.
