US marks international anti-corruption day

The US called here Monday on all governments to implement commitments under the UN Convention against Corruption as the world marks International Anticorruption Day. US Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement "on this International Anticorruption Day, we call on all governments to implement their commitments under the UN Convention Against Corruption and to afford civil society a meaningful role in anti-corruption and transparency efforts." He affirmed that "this is an issue that matters greatly to all of us, which makes even greater our shared responsibility to fight corruption and promote free, open societies anywhere and everywhere they are threatened." Kerry added that the US joins the international community today "in saluting individuals, governments, businesses, civil society organizations, and international organizations dedicated to preventing and combating the scourge of corruption." "It is difficult to overstate the profoundly negative impact that corruption has on society. The abuse of entrusted power for private gain does violence to our values, our prosperity, and even our security," he stressed. He noted that during his travels as Secretary of State, "especially to countries that are in the midst of political transitions, I underscore the importance of fighting corruption and promoting good governance." "I do so proudly, knowing that we strengthen our credibility and our foreign policy when we make these issues a priority in our relationships," he added. He shed light on the US and 167 other countries ratifying the United Nations Convention against Corruption, "the world's broadest framework for tackling corruption." "That's why we worked with the G8 Deauville Partnership with Arab Countries in Transition to launch the Arab Forum on Asset Recovery, which has helped to stimulate the return of more than USD 70 million in stolen assets to the transition countries in the Middle East," he affirmed. The US top diplomat also affirmed the US deep commitment "to the mission of the Open Government Partnership, an innovative multi-stakeholder initiative of governments, civil society, and business."