Today
we recognize International Anticorruption Day and honor the tireless
efforts of activists, businesses, government officials, and
international organizations to combat corruption and promote open and
transparent government.
While much work
remains, 2012 was a successful year in the global fight against
corruption. Since its inception last year, the Open Government
Partnership has grown sevenfold and now includes 58 countries
representing a quarter of the world’s population, encouraging greater
access to information, citizen engagement, and fiscal transparency. The
United States and the world’s largest economies have been leading by
example, as the G20 created an ambitious anticorruption action plan for
the next two years and adopted principles to keep corrupt officials away
from our borders. Under the U.S. presidency, the G8 joined regional
partners to convene the first Arab Forum on Asset Recovery in order to
help identify and recover proceeds of corruption stowed abroad.
The
United States is committed to preventing corruption and the destructive
impact it has on communities around the globe. With our partners, we
are working to promote legal regimes that prosecute corrupt actors,
recover the proceeds of corruption and other illicitly acquired assets,
and fight other crimes such as money laundering. The United States is
proud to be a partner in the global fight to combat corruption and
applauds all those working to sustain transparent, open societies around
the world.
