Corruption – A real threat

Corruption is a global problem that requires global solutions.

Once at a meeting I heard Kofi Annan, at the time Secretary General of the United Nations, say his famous words ‘corruption is the enemy of the poor’. These are very true words. Corruption doesn’t hurt the wealthy or powerful as much as it destroys the world for the poor.

In the Customs world and by the Borders, there has always been corruption. Where money is exchanged – corruption exists.

World Customs Organization (WCO) has a massive programme with capcity building activities on how to fight corruption and promote integrity in Customs, trade and at our borders. I lead the WCO Integrity work from 2006-2010 and I learned a lot about anti-corruption during those years.

Also G20 has an anti-corruption group and United Nations has huge programmes on how to combat the desease of corruption that undermines sustainable development.

Nlw there id an UN call on all to stand #UnitedAgainstCorruption! We need to support this initiative since this is how we build sustainable solutions for the developing and developed world.

The UNODC Integrity and anti-corruption charter with activities to fight corruption.

Corruption undermines the development of a sound economy and it creates non-tariff barriers that slow down trade development.we know today that development of trade is one of the best ways to develop our societies.

We need to work together to fight corruption, anyway we can.