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The importance of fighting corruption in international business transactions

Combatting bribery and corruption in international business transactions is crucial to creating a level playing field for business. Recognising this, governments and international organisations have adopted a series of legally binding and non-binding anti-corruption and integrity instruments at regional and global levels. Many private businesses have responded by introducing voluntary measures such as codes of conduct and compliance programmes. 

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) context

Investors and traders worldwide are expected to comply with severe anti-corruption and anti-bribery rules and regulations. Compliance with these integrity instruments is sometimes difficult and international actors have developed voluntary instruments to avoid legal risks and be able to carry out transactions and projects, including in high risk countries.
Corruption is considered a challenge to the development of trade and investment of the MENA region’s economies. To increase the involvement of the private sector in MENA economies and ensure fair competition in an increasingly global economy, it is essential to raise awareness and promote implementation of  anti-corruption measures.

Objective of the SIBAC Programme

The objective of the SIBAC Programme is to raise awareness of international principles and best practice in combating corruption in selected countries of the Middle East and North Africa region. It also aims to encourage governments and companies to develop and implement integrity measures and tools, with a view to leveling the playing field for businesses operating in the region.

The SIBAC Programme is supported by Siemens as part of the Siemens Integrity Initiative.

Key Activities

The Programme consists of:
1) Regional roundtables focusing on business compliance with international integrity standards, bringing together public sector, private sector and civil society representatives;
2) High-impact training sessions to support governmental and non-governmental actors in enhancing awareness about the benefits of engaging in mutual consultations and in collective actions in the field of anti-corruption and to strengthen business compliance, in particular in high risk sectors and activities; and
3) Multi-lingual materials, including audiovisual, which will allow further knowledge-dissemination across the MENA countries.

Events

• Public and Private Sectors Join Forces to Fight Corruption in Egypt, Egypt, 25-26 March 2012
• The Private Sector's Role in Fighting Corruption, Cairo, Egypt, 21 November 2011
• Consultation en matière d'intégrité avec les entreprises de Tunisie, Hammamet, Tunisie, 23 September 2011
• Fifth Corporate Sustainability Forum on Enhancing Transparency and Fighting Corruption, Cairo, 20-21 June 2011
• The Third Strategic Corporate Governance and Responsibility Forum, Amman, 12-14 June 2011
• Private Sector Integrity and Economic Development in Gulf Countries, Doha, Qatar, 10-11 May 2011
• Strengthening Integrity in the Private Sector in Arab Countries, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain, 16-17 March 2010 

Documentation

• Anti-Corruption in Egypt: Results of the Phase 1 Policy Assessment for the Business Climate Development Strategy
• Business Ethics and Anti-Bribery Policies in Selected Middle East and North African Countries

References

• OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions and related documents
• OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
• United Nations Convention Against Corruption
• United Nations Global Compact Ten Principles
• The Business Anti-corruption Portal
• International Chamber of Commerce, Resisting Extortion and Solicitation in International Transactions (RESIST) Toolkit