6 November 2015: The world’s largest anti-corruption gathering – the Sixth Session of the Conference of States Parties (CoSP6) to the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) – brought together over 1,000 participants from parliaments, intergovernmental organizations, civil society, the private sector and the media. Twelve resolutions were passed, including some with a focus on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In his message to the Conference, which convened in St. Petersburg, Russia, from 2-6 November 2015, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon emphasized the need to end corruption and bribery to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Ban highlighted SDG 16, which “calls for substantial reductions in corruption and bribery in all its forms.” He described the universality and far reaching impact of corruption and challenged participants to “take bold decisions and act decisively.”

In his opening address, Yury Fedotov, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), also stressed the importance of tackling corruption to “achieve sustainable development outcomes.”

Delegations reviewed the implementation of the UNCAC and agreed on further progress review in 2016, as well as measures for improving the review process. The 12 resolutions resulting from CoSP6 also addressed, among other issues, anti-corruption education, public-private partnerships (PPPs), and addressing the needs of small island developing States (SIDS).

The session also approved the St. Petersburg Declaration on Promoting Public-Private Partnerships in the Preventing of and Fighting Against Corruption, aiming to set the stage for further cooperation within the UN system.

The Seventh Session of the Conference of States Parties (CoSP7) will take place in Vienna, Austria. [UN Press Release] [UNODC Press Release, 2 November] [UNODC Press Release, 6 November] [Publication: State of Implementation of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption] [UNCAC Website]