KATHMANDU, FEB 25 -
The Parliament on Thursday ratified the United Nations Convention against Corruption in a bid to improve the country’s corruption-tainted image in the international arena.
The House session unanimously endorsed the anti-corruption convention designed to combat corruption on a global scale. Nepal had signed the convention in 2003 but had not implemented it due to the delay in ratifying the same.
The international corruption watchdog Transparency International (TI) has listed Nepal as one of the worst corrupt countries in the world. In the Corruption Perception Index (CPI)-2010 released in October, Nepal was ranked in the 146th position among 178 countries.
The new government is hopeful that the ratification of the treaty would clean the country’s tainted image. “The endorsement of the convention is not just a formality. This is a commitment of the Constituent Assembly to fight corruption,” said Minister without portfolio Bishnu Poudel. “The government will fulfill its responsibility by reforming anti-corruption laws and strengthening the mechanisms fighting against corruption.”
Earlier, various organisations working in the filed of corruption control including the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), Pro-Public and Transparency International Nepal (TI-N) had been lobbying for the immediate endorsement of the convention.
Officials at the CIAA have welcomed the development saying that the endorsement would be a basis to broaden legal framework to combat corruption and guarantee international legal and technical assistance.
“We had the jurisdiction to investigate only 40 percent of the issues related to corruption. The ratification will bind the government for making changes in domestic laws to ensure investigation of corruption where the private sector and civil society are involved as well,” said CIAA Spokesman Ishwori Paudyal.
The convention will facilitate the recovery of assets in foreign banks deposited by terrorists and those involved in corruption.
Speaking in the House, lawmakers expressed frustration at rampant corruption in the country and urged the government to strengthen the state’s anti-corruption watchdog. They said political backing was the root cause of corruption culture prevailing in the country.
“Instead of an eligible candidate, the governing parties always appointed their candidates in the mechanism responsible for combating corruption,” said UML lawmaker Ram Nath Dhakal. “The new prime minister has an opportunity to correct the mistakes by ending practices of political appointment.” Minister Poudel expressed commitment that the government would not appoint officials at the CIAA based on political affiliation. The national anti-graft body is functioning without the chief commissioner and commissioner for the last four years.
Maoist lawmaker Khim Lal Devkota said the convention would be instrumental in launching an awareness campaign for corruption prevention and would regulate bribery.
The reinstated House of Representatives in 2006 had passed a resolution on Oct. 11, 2006, expressing its commitment to ratify the convention. A total of 148 countries including Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan have already ratified the convention.
The Parliament on Thursday ratified the United Nations Convention against Corruption in a bid to improve the country’s corruption-tainted image in the international arena.
The House session unanimously endorsed the anti-corruption convention designed to combat corruption on a global scale. Nepal had signed the convention in 2003 but had not implemented it due to the delay in ratifying the same.
The international corruption watchdog Transparency International (TI) has listed Nepal as one of the worst corrupt countries in the world. In the Corruption Perception Index (CPI)-2010 released in October, Nepal was ranked in the 146th position among 178 countries.
The new government is hopeful that the ratification of the treaty would clean the country’s tainted image. “The endorsement of the convention is not just a formality. This is a commitment of the Constituent Assembly to fight corruption,” said Minister without portfolio Bishnu Poudel. “The government will fulfill its responsibility by reforming anti-corruption laws and strengthening the mechanisms fighting against corruption.”
Earlier, various organisations working in the filed of corruption control including the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), Pro-Public and Transparency International Nepal (TI-N) had been lobbying for the immediate endorsement of the convention.
Officials at the CIAA have welcomed the development saying that the endorsement would be a basis to broaden legal framework to combat corruption and guarantee international legal and technical assistance.
“We had the jurisdiction to investigate only 40 percent of the issues related to corruption. The ratification will bind the government for making changes in domestic laws to ensure investigation of corruption where the private sector and civil society are involved as well,” said CIAA Spokesman Ishwori Paudyal.
The convention will facilitate the recovery of assets in foreign banks deposited by terrorists and those involved in corruption.
Speaking in the House, lawmakers expressed frustration at rampant corruption in the country and urged the government to strengthen the state’s anti-corruption watchdog. They said political backing was the root cause of corruption culture prevailing in the country.
“Instead of an eligible candidate, the governing parties always appointed their candidates in the mechanism responsible for combating corruption,” said UML lawmaker Ram Nath Dhakal. “The new prime minister has an opportunity to correct the mistakes by ending practices of political appointment.” Minister Poudel expressed commitment that the government would not appoint officials at the CIAA based on political affiliation. The national anti-graft body is functioning without the chief commissioner and commissioner for the last four years.
Maoist lawmaker Khim Lal Devkota said the convention would be instrumental in launching an awareness campaign for corruption prevention and would regulate bribery.
The reinstated House of Representatives in 2006 had passed a resolution on Oct. 11, 2006, expressing its commitment to ratify the convention. A total of 148 countries including Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan have already ratified the convention.
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