Transparency of UNCAC Review Mechanism (UK0110)

Our Commitment

To meet this commitment, UK government and civil society will work alongside the UNCAC Coalition and Open Government Partnership to build a coalition of countries committed to promoting transparency and inclusiveness of the UNCAC’s implementation review mechanism (IRM).

Our Analysis

The UNCAC is the foundational global treaty on anti-corruption. The Convention is the cornerstone of the international anti-corruption framework and, when fully and effectively implemented, helps to robustly combat corruption. Focusing on improving transparency of the review mechanism is a necessary requirement for enabling progress on inclusiveness and impactful follow up measures. This is because it will enable a wider set of actors to engage with States Parties, helping to clarify if progress has been made, better identify any gaps in effective implementation of the UNCAC and prompt stronger domestic follow-up.

The Problem

The IRM has promoted legislative and institutional changes that have helped implement the standards of the Convention. However, as set out by the UNCAC Coalition, the effectiveness of the IRM is currently limited by three significant shortcomings with the current approach: transparency, inclusiveness, and impactful follow-up measures.

Our Solutions

The UK wants to promote a stronger collective voice on implementation of anti-corruption standards. To do this, we will lead a group of willing countries committed to engaging with the UNCAC’s Implementation Review Mechanism in a transparent and inclusive manner, by committing to: ● Publishing timelines for the UK’s next review and keeping country focal point details updated. ● Publishing the full report of the UK’s next review. ● Publishing how civil society and non-state actors can engage in the review and follow-up process. These commitments from the UK will be done with a view to increasing the number of countries upholding the above commitments at the end of the current review cycle. To signal this commitment, the UK will also lead the delivery of a collective plenary statement, in partnership with other States Parties, the OGP and UNCAC Coalition, at the 10th Session of the Conference of States Parties (11-15 December).

Our Deliverables (Deliverable | Expected Outputs | Expected Completion Date | Stakeholders)

Publishing timelines for the UK’s next review and keeping country focal point details updated | Timetable for next review cycle | Next review cycle (TBC) | JACU, UKACC, UNCAC Coalition, OGP

Publishing the full report of the UK’s next review | Report findings and recommendations to inform future progress. | Next review cycle (TBC) | JACU, UKACC, UNCAC Coalition, OGP

Publishing how civil society and non-state actors can engage in the review and follow-up process | Provide outline for how civil society and non-state actors can engage in the review and follow-up process | Next review cycle (TBC) | JACU, UKACC, UNCAC Coalition, OGP

Collective plenary statement at the UNCAC Conference of States Parties (COSP) | Achieve agreement on commitment to strengthen the IRM | December 2023 | JACU, FCDO, UNCAC Coalition, OGP

Our Milestones (Milestone | Expected Outputs | Expected Completion Date | Stakeholders)

UNCAC COSP | Plenary sessions, negotiation of resolutions, bilaterals | December 2023 | JACU, FCDO, UNCAC Coalition, OGP

UNCAC Working on the IRM Group, Vienna | Proposals for strengthening the IRM | June 2024 | JACU, FCDO, UNCAC Coalition, OGP

UNCAC Working on the IRM Group, Vienna | Proposals for strengthening the IRM | June 2025 | JACU, FCDO, UNCAC Coalition, OGP

UNCAC COSP | Plenary sessions, negotiation of resolutions, bilaterals | December 2025 | JACU, FCDO, UNCAC Coalition, OGP

Action Plan Review

Commitment 4 aims to strengthen the outcomes of the UNCAC, the foundational global treaty in combating corruption. The UK government and civil society will collaborate with the UNCAC Coalition and OGP to assemble a coalition of nations dedicated to advancing transparency and inclusivity within the UNCAC’s implementation review process. ^[37] So far, 61 countries have joined the commitment. ^[38] The milestones entail publishing timelines for how civil society can engage in the review and follow up process and the final report of the UK’s next review. One of the milestones was completed before the start of this action plan (the UNCAC COSP, which happened in December 2023). Furthermore, some of the milestones may extend beyond the action plan’s timeline. The current UN review cycle is expected to conclude in June 2026, and the date of the beginning of the next Implementation Review Mechanism cycle is not yet known. ^[39] Consequently, the UK’s ability to fully implement this commitment is contingent on external factors.

While these efforts align with past UK actions, ^[40] the challenge lies in rallying more countries to join this initiative. Stakeholders could amend this commitment with concrete steps to engage broader international participation, such as diplomatic outreach, capacity-building programmes, and collaboration frameworks aimed at fostering a global coalition dedicated to enhancing transparency and inclusivity in anti-corruption efforts under the UNCAC. The potential amendment to this commitment could also outline how substantive changes will result from the review. Moreover, the UK needs to appoint an Anti-Corruption Champion, a role that has been vacant since John Penrose MP’s resignation in June 2022. ^[41] This Champion would coordinate anti-corruption efforts, advocate for policies nationally and internationally, and engage civil society and international partners. This appointment would demonstrate the UK’s commitment to combatting corruption and ensure a coordinated approach to achieving Commitment 4’s objectives.