14 Public Institutions Stand Together for Integrity, Ethics and Transparency
In May 2016, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released a report highlighting not only the economic costs of corruption around the world but also “its corrosive impact on society” (IMF Director C. Lagarde, 2016). 2016 was heavily marked with outburst of corruption scandals and attempts around the world to address the issue at the London Summit for instance. The Panama papers, the Car wash affair in Brazil and Dilma Roussef’s destitution, the Bahamas Leaks, Jerome Cahuzac’s sentence in France are examples of such scandals that have raised attention on wrongdoings and notably on integrity of public officials.
Citizens’ awareness and expectations regarding integrity of their elected and non-elected public officials are raising in every country. Beyond integrity per se, other issues need to be addressed such as the fight against corruption, the promotion of ethics, accountability, transparencyAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, transparency occurs when “government-held information (including on activities and decisions) is open, comprehensive, timely, freely available to the pub... More, and the traceability of the public decision and the use of public funds for instance. All countries face these challenges. In addition, some of them do not know borders.
If adopting measures to address such issues at the national level is necessary, it is also essential to take concrete action and to provide answers at the international level to fight against corruption, promote integrity, ethics, good governance, transparency, and open government. Initiatives such as the Open Government PartnershipThe Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a multi-stakeholder initiative focused on improving government transparency, ensuring opportunities for citizen participation in public matters, and strengthen... More have paved the way for new ways to interconnect actors. 5 years after its creation, the OGP allows representatives from 70 member countries, including Heads of State and Government, and from international and civil society organizations to exchange about their experiences, good practices and achievements with regard to open government and find innovative solutions.
Therefore, on 9 December 2016, which is the International Anticorruption Day, in parallel of the OGP Global Summit in Paris, from 7 to 9 December 2016, and despite various statuses and missions, several institutions have decided to create a new initiative: the Network for Integrity. The network aims at developing and promoting an international culture of integrity, ethics, transparency and openness to contribute to fighting corruption and to strengthening citizens’ trust in their governments and administrations.
Its 14 member institutions from 14 different countries on 4 continents, despite different legal traditions, share common values and perform tasks related to transparency, ethics or integrity of public officials. They carry out their missions independently, without receiving instructions from other institutions, and remain non-jurisdictional bodies.
To allow the Network to promote integrity at the international level, its members decided to give it several objectives including the facilitation of the exchange of experience and best practices among them. The Network also offers them an opportunity to gain visibility. In addition, it will play a role in raising awareness and in being an advocacy and exchange platform with civil society, international organizations, other networks and initiatives such as the OGP. The OGP already offered it the opportunity to present the Network publicly on 9 December in Paris and to have its first exchanges with civil society because all the actors that were present at the OGP summit and the members of the Network share a similar goal: regaining and strengthening citizen’s trust.