International development partners in Nepal issued a joint statement on the occasion of the International Day of Anti-Corruption

With a slogan of Integrity at the Center of Sustainable Development, International Development Partners in Nepal hailed Nepal government’s efforts in tackling corruption and promoting a culture of integrity during the time of transformation.

The statement was issued jointly by Asian Development Bank Nepal, Embassy of Australia, Embassy of Denmark, Embassy of Finland, Embassy of France, Embassy of Germany, Embassy of Israel, Embassy of Republic of India, Embassy of the UK and DFID, EU Delegation to Nepal, JICA Nepal Office, Royal Norwegian Embassy, UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, USAID, World Bank.

“We commend the Government for undertaking its first review cycle of its obligations under the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC). The review acknowledges some good practices and  recommends to expand the scope of integrity rules, and strengthen capacity of anti-corruption institutions. We support the government’s efforts to revise its legislation in line with the UNCAC commitments and urge the government to also prioritize implementation and enforcement of the legislation and anticorruption measures. The next UNCAC review cycle, due to begin in 2017, will focus on prevention and will benefit from broader engagement of all stakeholders at national and sub-national levels, including civil society and private sector. This will also increase ownership and enhance acceptability and effectiveness of the strategies that are being adopted,” said the joint statement.

“This year has seen some encouraging initiatives by a broad range of Nepali stakeholders to promote the culture of transparency and integrity throughout the country. The efforts to boost integrity in the judiciary, among others, and contributions by civil society actors in addressing anti-corruption issues are commendable. These initiatives remind us that success in anti-corruption requires every member of society to play their part. We hope they continue to be encouraged and supported.”

With the new Constitution and progress underway towards a new state structure, now is a critical time for all stakeholders to show leadership in combating corruption at all levels and in all forms. This period of transformation provides a unique opportunity to strengthen systems, attitudes, and practices of accountability and integrity. In this context, holding credible and transparent local elections is a critical milestone in strengthening accountability.

According to the statement, Nepal’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals also provides an opportunity for all stakeholders to join hands in the work against corruption. SDG 16 – with its vision of peace, justice and inclusion is across the globe essential for achieving all other SDGs and country’s development goals. Effective, accountable and transparent institutions and their well-coordinated implementation efforts are important towards achieving this SDG; so too are transparency in elections and campaign financing. We encourage even greater collaboration and partnership among the government, civil society, and the private sector on such priority actions to promote good governance.

Nepal's transition is a historic moment to make lasting change for the benefit of generations to come. As International Development partners we stand ready to continue our support for a shared vision of Nepal as a country that delivers integrity and accountability for all its population.