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You Are Here: Home > News and Media > Peru Hosts APEC Anti-Corruption Meeting

Issued by the The Fight Against High-Level Corruption Workshop

Peru Hosts APEC Anti-Corruption Meeting

Lima, Peru, October 29, 2007

Officials from APEC Member Economies are meeting in Lima this week to enhance opportunities to stamp out corruption, deny safe haven to corrupt individuals and recover stolen assets.

The workshop titled "The Fight against High-Level Corruption is a Common International Responsibility" is being held in Lima on 29-31 October.

Peru's Minister of Justice, Mar�a A. Zavala Valladares, opened the workshop by highlighting that the division of the state branch, the checks and balances, an independent judiciary, access to information as well as transparency in the public institutions are essential elements of the rule of the law in democratic societies.

The Deputy Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat, Ambassador Juan Carlos Capu�ay, said APEC views corruption as a major obstacle to economic development and is investing time and resources into undermining corrupt practices in the region.

"Corruption, in all its forms, is disruptive and harmful to the sustainability of democratic institutions in our region," Ambassador Capu�ay said at the workshop.

"APEC believes that one of the important ways to fight against corruption is to ensure special attention is paid to the modernization of government infrastructure, access to technology and increased support to education.

"APEC is developing measures that will help governments to deny safe haven to corrupt officials and to ensure the recovery of assets acquired through corruption, as well as increase international cooperation to the processing of extradition requests.

Speaking to delegates, Ambassador Capu�ay said the involvement of the private sector and civil society is enriching APEC's anti-corruption agenda.

"APEC's Code of Conduct for Business was agreed this year. It provides practical guidance for private sector bodies to combat corruption and is focused on the prohibition of bribery.

"Ultimately though APEC is seeking the prompt ratification, by the entire international community, of the United Nations Convention against Corruption."

Ambassador Capu�ay said that during APEC 2008 hosted by Peru, the fight against corruption will continue as an APEC priority.

Peru will host APEC in 2008 that will include a range of meetings of APEC Ministers and officials before the APEC Leaders' Meeting in Lima in November.

For additional information contact:

Christopher Hawkins on +61 (0)433 810 844 or E-mail: ch@apec.org

Anita Douglas on +65 9172 6427 or E-mail: ad@apec.org

Remarks by Ambassador Juan Carlos Capu�ay at the Seminar on "The Fight Against Corruption is a Common International Responsibility: Strengthening the Cooperation Mechanisms in the Asia Pacific Region"