Secretary General Of The United Nations Reminds Potential For Corruption To Widen During The COVID-19 Pandemic

Screenshot of the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) Antonio Guterres (Photo: Aria Cindyara / Antara)

JAKARTA - The Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) Antonio Guterres in commemoration of International Anti-Corruption Day highlighted the potential for corrupt practices that can widen amid the crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"In the midst of this deep concern, the COVID-19 crisis creates another opportunity to commit acts of corruption," said Guterres in a written statement received in Jakarta, reported by Antara, Thursday, December 10.

International Anti-Corruption Day is celebrated on 9 December each year.

In the crisis situation that hit various countries, Guterres said that surveillance tends to become weaker, especially amid the government's efforts to immediately spend the state budget to restore the economy, provide emergency assistance, and buy medical supplies.

The risk of bribery and the practice of pursuing profit also increases with the development of vaccines and treatment for COVID-19.

Over the past few years, people in various parts of the world have voiced anger against corrupt leaders and governments.

In a crisis situation such as the current one, the UN Secretary General emphasized that corruption robs people of resources in need of assistance, undermines public trust in institutions, widens large gaps that are increasingly revealed by the pandemic, and hinders immediate recovery.

"We cannot allow this stimulus funds and vital emergency resources to be diverted," he said.

Guterres, who often voiced the importance of recovery efforts from the COVID-19 pandemic to be accompanied by improvements in various sectors, including environmental sustainability and handling the climate crisis, also urged measures to prevent and eradicate corruption to run parallel with recovery efforts.

He encouraged the use of global anti-corruption guidelines set out in the United Nations Anti-Corruption Convention to strengthen oversight, accountability and transparency through broad partnerships.

"Action against corruption must be part of broader national and international reforms and initiatives to strengthen good governance, stop the flow of illicit money and tax havens, and return stolen assets, in line with the Sustainable Goals (SDGs)," he said. .

International Anti-Corruption Day is a momentum for him to invite all parties, including the government, private sector, civil society and all stakeholders to commit to promoting accountability and ending acts of corruption and bribery.