Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter attends Anti-Corruption Summit in London
Bern, 11.05.2016 - Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, the head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, will attend the Anti-Corruption Summit in London on 12 May 2016 at the invitation of British Prime Minister David Cameron. Switzerland has taken various measures to prevent and combat corruption, particularly through efforts focused on changing the conditions that facilitate corruption. For example, improving education and training and allowing greater citizen participation in political decision-making processes can be effective ways to combat corruption.
While corruption already threatens the stability of entire countries and regions, new technologies are making new forms of corruption possible. In order to promote greater awareness of these risks at international level, the Anti-Corruption Summit will be held in London this Thursday at the invitation of British Prime Minister David Cameron to discuss experiences and anti-corruption measures. The summit will be concluded with a declaration setting out the main priorities of the international anti-corruption agenda.
Switzerland sees tackling the causes of corruption and the conditions that facilitate it as a priority. As part of its international cooperation activities, Switzerland therefore supports projects that aim to promote decentralisation, increase citizen participation in political decision-making processes, and improve education and training opportunities in numerous countries. Such structural changes can be effective tools in the fight against corruption.
Other measures complement Switzerland's anti-corruption efforts. With the new Foreign Illicit Assets Act, for example, Switzerland has established an internationally recognised instrument that allows the comprehensive freezing, confiscation and restitution of assets that have been misappropriated through corrupt or other criminal means by foreign politically exposed persons and subsequently funnelled to financial centres outside their country of origin.
Furthermore, Switzerland is actively working within the UN to combat corruption and plays a leading role in the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). Switzerland has also been invited to this year's meeting of the G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group (ACWG).
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