TI, others want G-20's Anti-Corruption Action Plan implemented

PANA

16 Feb 2011

TI, others want G-20's Anti-Corruption Action Plan implemented

Transparency International (TI) and Global Witness, together with 76 other organisations from around the world, have charged the Group of 20 leading economies to urgently implement the G-20’s Anti-Corruption Action Plan, published last November. A news release, made available to PANA here Tuesday, stated that in a letter to the G20, Huguette Labelle, chair of TI, said: “The time to act is now. On the streets of Cairo and Tunis, we have seen crowds calling for an end to corruption. The G-20 has said it would lead by example.

'People are rightly concerned about the alleged wealth of former heads of state in Egypt and Tunisia. G-20 countries should be doing everything they can to ensure that any illegal financial flows are stopped and investigated.'

The release further stated that Gavin Hayman, director of campaigns at the Global Witness, stressed: “G-20 countries need to do much more to ensure that they are not providing safe haven to corrupt politicians or their dirty money. The G-20 Anti-Corruption Action Plan is welcomed but as yet it lacks detail and a clear timeframe for implementation.

'At a time when people around the world are looking for ways to restore trust in governments and the financial system, transparency should be at the heart of the G-20’s reform agenda,” Hayman said.