G20 Information Centre provided by the G20 Research Group
	@g20rg G20 Summits |  G20 Ministerials |  G20 Analysis |  Search |  About the G20 Research Group [English]  [Français]  [Deutsch]  [Italiano]  [Portuguesa]  [Japanese]  [Chinese]  [Korean]  [Indonesian]

G20 Meetings of Ministers Responsible for Anticorruption
Road to the 2024 G20 Rio Summit

Ministerial Declaration
Contributing to a Just World and a Sustainable Planet through Anti-corruption and Integrity Promotion

G20 Anti-Corruption Ministerial Meeting
Natal, Brazil, October 24, 2024
[PDF]

1. We, the G20 and invited countries’ ministers and authorities with responsibilities for preventing and combating corruption, convened in Natal on 24 October 2024 under the Brazilian Presidency, to reaffirm our shared commitments and our dedication to lead by example in the global effort against corruption.

2. Recognizing the impact of corruption on global challenges such as poverty, social and economic inequality, as well as sustainable development, we are confident that anti-corruption and integrity promotion can contribute to “building a just world and a sustainable planet”, the motto of the G20 Brazilian Presidency.

3. We express our gratitude to past Presidencies for their leadership and aim to build on the solid foundation of the G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group’s (ACWG) work over the past 13 years. We particularly acknowledge the commitments made in the previous Anti-Corruption Ministerial Meetings held under the G20 Presidency of Saudi Arabia and India in 2020 and 2023, respectively and renew the G20’s commitment to them.

4. We also thank all member countries, guest countries, G20 engagement groups, for their invaluable contributions in supporting the work of the ACWG. We are particularly grateful for the expertise provided by the international organizations invited by the Brazilian Presidency to the ACWG, namely the the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, INTERPOL, the Egmont Group, the Financial Action Taskforce, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the Interamerican Development Bank.

5. We express our deepest concerns with the impact of corruption on those in vulnerable situations, as it hinders access to essential public services and investment decisions, undermining trust in public institutions and limiting the effectiveness of public policies and reinforcing social and economic inequality. Further, we will improve our understanding of the linkages between gender and corruption. We acknowledge the importance of developing effective, accountable, inclusive, and transparent institutions at all levels and promoting good governance to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals.

6. We acknowledge that corruption remains a significant obstacle to development, in particular on the mobilization, management and disbursement of public resources, while also reducing the potential impact of private investment. We reaffirm the importance of combatting corruption at all levels and in all forms as an important part of enabling the effective, efficient and transparent mobilization and use of resources.

7. We also express our continued concern about the seriousness of problems and threats posed by corruption to the stability and security of societies, undermining the institutions and values of democracy, ethical values, and justice and jeopardizing sustainable development and the rule of law. We recognize the importance of respecting human rights, due process and fundamental freedoms in the fight against corruption, while also bearing in mind the principles of fairness, responsibility and equality before the law.

8. We recognize the negative effect of corruption on economic growth through its effect on market competition, tax revenue, trade, public and private investments, productivity, and economic inclusion. We note the role this can play in entrenching inequality and undermining public services. Recognizing the crucial role that digital public infrastructure (DPI) plays in fighting corruption, promoting transparency and accountability, we endeavor to leverage DPI, as applicable, to achieve our anti-corruption objectives. We acknowledge that strengthening effective anti-corruption and integrity measures can contribute to a more equitable, inclusive and just world.

9. We are committed to upholding the rule of law and enforcing criminal justice measures to ensure that perpetrators of offences under UNCAC are held to account and denied safe haven. In particular, we will bolster efforts to effectively prevent, detect, investigate, prosecute and sanction domestic and foreign bribery. We reiterate our obligation under UNCAC of having legislation and other measures in force to criminalize bribery of foreign public officials.

10. Moreover, we acknowledge that strengthening institutions and fostering anti-corruption policies and practices, including beneficial ownership transparency and the promotion of integrity in the public and private sectors, can contribute to a more effective and efficient mobilization, management, and allocation of public resources. To that end, we also reaffirm the importance of promoting integrity in public procurement to reduce the cost of and increase access to public services. Such policies and practices can therefore be utilized as important tools for improving governance, reducing inequality and promoting sustainable development.

11. We are determined to address the challenges of preventing, detecting, and disrupting illicit financial flows derived from proceeds of crime, in particular the offenses set out in the UNCAC. We agree that effective anticorruption measures should seek to prevent and combat the predicate offenses generating such flows. These efforts can contribute to a more equitable, inclusive and just world.

12. We are committed to and encourage other countries to take the necessary steps to incentivize the private sector to adopt and implement effective measures to prevent and combat corruption, thereby fostering economic growth, promoting sustainable development, and reducing social and economic inequality. Business integrity should be based on a comprehensive approach, and we urge the private sector to respect and take into account not only anti-corruption principles, but also human rights, labor and the environment, in accordance with domestic legal frameworks.

13. We recall UNCAC COSP resolution 8/12 entitled "Preventing and combatting corruption as it relates to crimes that have an impact on environment" and reaffirm our commitment, in accordance with the fundamental principles of our legal systems, to strengthen anti-corruption frameworks, and to promote ethical practices, integrity and transparency, and endeavor to prevent conflicts of interest in that area.

14. We stress the heightened threat of corruption during times of crisis, including those caused by extreme weather events. Large scale emergency spending measures may introduce risks of embezzlement, bribery or other forms of corruption and fraud. In this context, we commit to applying and enforcing effective integrity and anti-corruption measures, so as to increase transparency and accountability in our responses to such situations, including by taking guidance from G20 High-Level Principles on Preventing and Combating Corruption in Emergencies.

15. We are determined to enhance the effectiveness of asset recovery and return, including through the use of direct asset recovery proceedings before foreign courts, in line with the obligations under the UNCAC. Countries should continue to promote, support and strengthen international cooperation in identification of proceeds of crime as well as the recovery, and return of confiscated assets, which can contribute to sustainable development, consistent with the requirements of UNCAC.

16. We encourage further strengthening of cooperation, including on cross-border corruption, between anti-corruption law enforcement authorities by, for example, participating in and making best use of existing practitioners’ networks such as the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities (GlobE Network), initiated under the Saudi G20 Presidency in 2020, as well as the Camden Assets Recovery Inter-agency Network (CARIN) and its regional ARINS, as applicable, and the use of the capabilities developed by INTERPOL and the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units.

17. We acknowledge the importance of exchanging experiences and good practices regarding national coordination mechanisms as one of the important tools to promote more effective asset recovery, which can contribute to sustainable development.

18. We recall the UNCAC CoSP resolution 10/4 entitled "Methodologies and indicators for measuring corruption and the effectiveness of anti-corruption frameworks", and encourage the ACWG to cooperate with UN bodies and relevant institutions and experts to continue the work in the area of the measurement of corruption and in the assessment of the effectiveness of anti-corruption policies and measures, and to support international initiatives in this regard. We will consider promoting, where appropriate, the application of the “Vienna Principles towards a Global Framework for the Measurement of Corruption” if countries choose to develop measurement and assessment methodologies and indicators to complement national efforts and achieve greater accuracy, reliability and usefulness, which may lead to more effective anti-corruption strategies and policies. We welcome the holding of the first global conference on the measurement of corruption entitled “Harnessing Data to Improve Corruption Measurement”, in Vienna on 31 August and 1 September 2023, and encourage the attendance to its future sessions.

19. We endorse the G20 High-Level Principles on Incentives for the Private Sector to Adopt Comprehensive and Consistent Integrity Measures to Prevent and Combat Corruption. With the knowledge and recognition that a just world and a sustainable environment are a shared commitment among multiple actors, we encourage the engagement of the private sector to adopt integrity systems that take into account other relevant risks, such as the potential environmental, social and economic impact of their business activities. We will endeavor to effectively implement the endorsed High-Level Principles in our jurisdictions, as appropriate, and foster a culture of integrity within the private sector and promote open and fair competition.

20. We appreciate the analytical work by the Brazilian Presidency, including the Background Paper on the issue of corruption and its connections with sustainable development. This paper, although not endorsed by G20 countries, provided background for our declaration and emphasizes the need for considering anti-corruption measures in facilitating the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

21. We welcome the G20 ACWG Accountability Report which provides a review of our collective progress in implementing past commitments to promote integrity in the public sector. We will consider the challenges identified and recommendations highlighted in the Accountability Report as the G20 ACWG determines future areas of work. We particularly note the importance of promoting integrity within public agencies related to the economic, social and environmental sustainability agendas.

22. We note with appreciation the report prepared by Brazil in partnership with the Stolen Asset Recovery (StAR) Initiative on the application of article 53 of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), based on information provided by countries throughout the year.

23. We endorse the G20 Anti-Corruption Action Plan 2025-2027, which sets out common priorities and objectives identified by G20 countries. We recognize the importance of the Action Plan to ensure the continuity of G20 ACWG efforts in high-priority areas where it can best add value, increase the impact of targeted G20 actions, and facilitate the implementation and accountability of past commitments. We stress that this approach of the Action Plan leaves ample space for future G20 Presidencies to determine and pursue their own priorities while committing to incorporating related deliverables into their respective work programs.

Way Forward

24. We thank the Brazilian Presidency for its leadership and look forward to continued collaboration in our mission to prevent and fight corruption and promote integrity in both the public and private sectors. As we look to the future, we reaffirm our resolve to strengthen the G20 ACWG, including by implementing and reporting on our existing obligations and commitments, as well as advancing our collective anti-corruption agenda.

25. We pledge to continue working together to address emerging challenges, strengthen asset recovery and return, counter foreign bribery, strengthen anti-corruption law enforcement cooperation, deny safe haven, promote transparency and accountability, and foster a culture of integrity across all sectors.

26. We welcome the Brazilian Presidency efforts in promoting a multi-stakeholder approach to preventing and combating corruption by strengthening partnerships with individuals, in particular youth and groups outside the public sector, including civil society, non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, academia, media and the private sector. We continue to acknowledge and promote the role that these stakeholders play in anticorruption efforts, including ensuring that the conditions to this end are in place, in line with previous commitments.

27. We encourage future G20 Presidencies to consider reconvening the Anti-Corruption Ministerial Meeting, as appropriate, and support implementation of the commitments made in the Anti-Corruption Ministers Meeting Ministerial Communiqué 2020, the Anti-Corruption Ministerial Meeting Outcome Document and Chair’s Summary 2023, and the Anti-Corruption Ministerial Declaration 2024.

[back to top]

Source: Official website of Brazil's 2024 G20 presidency