Anti-Corruption in Eastern Europe and the CIS

Capacity Development Support to Anti-Corruption Agencies

In order to provide streamlined and effective support to prevention of corruptin agencies the UNDP BRC has developed a Methodology for Assessing the Capacities of Anti-Corruption Agencies to Perform Preventive Functions. It is founded on the best practices and lessons learned from providing the support to anti-corruption agencies in the specific context of the Eastern Europe and the CIS countries. This Methodology has been developed by the UNDP BRC in order to provide UNDP Country Offices in the region and other international actors with a tool for assessing the capacity of institutional arrangements dealing with specific corruption prevention functions, irrespective of the type of agency that is being assessed.

A new version of the Methodology has been released in June 2011  the new version addresses developing the capacities of ACAs in the areas of corruption risk assessments and the management of corruption prevention regimes: Conflict of Interest, gifts to public officials, assets and income declarations.

Download the Methodology here

 

Capacity Assessments of Prevention of Corruption Agencies

The described Methodology for Assessing tha Capacities of Anti-Corruption Agencies to Perform Preventive Functions was piloted through capacity assessments of ACAs in 2009 and 2010. Five agencies have been assessed so far: the Anti-Corruption Directorate of Montenegro; the Anti-Corruption Agency of Kosovo – UN administered territory under SC1244 (hereafter referred to as Kosovo); the Prime Ministry Inspection Board of Turkey; the Centre for Combating Economic Crime and Corruption in Moldova and lately the Secretariat of the Macedonian Commision for Prevention of Corruption.

The Macedonian Commision for Prevention of Corruption (SCPC) and the UNDP Country Office in Macedonia requested the UNDP Bratislava Regional Centre to Conduct a Capacity Assessment of the Secretariat of the Commission. The purpose of the assessment was to identify and describe the capacity assets and needs of the Secretariat with particular attention to its function of supporting the development and implementation of the national anti-corruption programme.   The assessment also looked at the functions of the Secretariat in relation to the asset declaration system and to the management of Conflict of Interests.

The assesment was composed by a self assessment questionnaire, desk review of documentation and a field mission  that took place during the first week of December 2010; the report of the assessment is currently under preparation. The capacities of the Secretariat of the SCPC were assessed at 3 levels: (i) Enabling Environment: including legal and regulatory frameworks, horizontal and vertical coordination between institutions, power relations, etc.; (ii) Organizational level: internal systems, processes and procedures that enable/impede civil servants within the Secretariat to fulfil their duties; (iii) Individual capacity level: functional and technical capacities, knowledge, skills, etc.

The assessment recommendations will be used as a starting point for the formulation of a capacity-development response and will serve as catalyst for action for effective improvement of the preventive functions of the Secretariat.  

Other Assessments:

In Montenegro, the capacity assessment of the Directorate for Anti Corruption Initiative (DACI) complemented over three years of assistance to the agency and helped to strengthen the commitment of its leaders and staff to deliver their mandate. DACI is now involved in implementing the country’s anti corruption strategy, and supporting other public institutions in developing effective integrity systems. It is playing a leading role in harmonizing the country’s anti-corruption legal framework and ensuring its compliance with international standards. The agency has involved civil society organizations and the private sector as part of its public outreach activities.

The capacity assessment in Kosovo focused on the Prevention of Corruption Department within the Kosovo Anti-Corruption Agency (KAA), and examined capacities to identify, coordinate and engage with partners, to develop policy and strategies, to budget, manage and implement projects and programmes related to anti corruption policy, to manage human and financial resources, and to perform specific corruption prevention functions such as supervising the implementation of asset declarations of public officials, gifts and conflict of interest regimes in the public sector, and raising public awareness in the fight against corruption.

UNDP has partnered with Kosovo’s Anti-Corruption Agency (KAA) to develop a capacity development response with a strong focus on strengthening the capacities of the agency as well as other institutions working on anti-corruption in Kosovo.

In Turkey, UNDP assessed the Prime Ministry Inspection Board's (PMIB) capacity to take on corruption prevention functions. The assessment first examined the Board's traditional functions of research, examination, investigation and inspection, noting that the Board's inspectors were experienced, motivated, and skilled. The assessment also included two sets of recommendations aimed at improving the PMIB's capacity to prevent corruption in the case that the body maintains its current legal structure or in the case that it expands its mandate to embrace the full set of corruption prevention competencies as identified within UNDP's methodology for assessing anti-corruption agencies. 

In Moldova the assessment focused on the recently introduced function for corruption prevention of the Centre for Combating Economic Crime and Corruption which are undertaken by the General Department for Corruption Prevention of the Centre. The UNDP BRC looked at the capacities of the department to conduct Assessment of corruption risk within institutions, to produce Anti-corruption legal analysis and to conduct analysis on the phenomenon of corruption and to organize awareness raising campaigns. 

The Capacity Development of Anti-Corruption Agencies regional project will continue to incorporate lessons learned and experiences to further refine the methodology, as it is applied and tested with additional anti corruption agencies in the region.