(2007) DAC Ministers Agree on a Collective Action Agenda for Improving Governance to Fight Corruption

On 4 April 2007, Ministers of Development Cooperation and Heads of Agencies agreed to:

• Take opportunities to signal that corruption is a symptom of weak governance and the need to address corruption in the context of broader governance-strengthening efforts.
  
  
• Prioritise governance assessment work jointly with other donors.
  
  
• Support the development of common response principles for donor action on corruption--so as to avoid the problem of sending mixed messages to partner governments when responding to corruption.
  
  
• Ensure lessons learned in supporting governance and aid effectiveness are applied to the implementation of the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).
  
  
• Support increased action on the ‘supply-side’ of corruption. Ministers of Development Cooperation and Heads of Agencies agreed that developing and developed countries alike share the responsibility in fighting corruption. Action must be taken on both sides, and the OECD is well placed at the interface between development cooperation efforts and the domestic actions taken by their governments. This calls for greater policy coherence efforts to connect the development agenda with actions within OECD governments to tackle corruption. Interactions between the North and South must be accompanied by a push for tougher enforcement of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, ratification of UNCAC by OECD members and improved mutual legal assistance on issues like the recovery of stolen assets.