国际英语资讯:UN chief calls for rooting out corruption_时事

国际英语资讯:UN chief calls for rooting out corruption

By tackling corruption, governments can show they mean business, he said.

Corruption robs funds from schools, hospitals, infrastructure and other vital services. Human trafficking and migrant smuggling, illicit financial flows and illegal trade in natural resources, weapons, drugs and cultural heritage are all made possible because of corruption. It fuels conflict, and when a hard-won peace is achieved, corruption undermines recovery, noted the UN chief.

Corruption and impunity are corrosive, breeding frustration and fostering further corruption when people see no other way of achieving their goals. A sense of desperation before the real and perceived lack of opportunities also fuels the large movements of people seeking better prospects. And the lack of opportunities for young women and men, often exacerbated in corrupt societies, can feed into the cynical narratives of terrorists and violent extremists, he added.

For 15 years, the UN Convention Against Corruption has served as an international framework for cooperation to strengthen prevention and mitigate corruption risks, said Guterres. "It helps disrupt money laundering and stop the illicit outflow of funds. It contributes to the return of stolen proceeds from foreign banks. And it enrols in civil society and the private sector as essential partners."

Since its adoption, the convention has achieved near-global acceptance with 184 parties, he noted.

Full implementation of the convention is needed to put an end to the threat that corruption poses to development. Such responses are critical to provide fair opportunities and facilitate investment, tackle transnational organized crime, prevent the unfair influence of powerful interests on governance and safeguard civil and human rights, he said.