Categories: World

Corruption is the betrayal of public trust, says UN Secretary-General

<p id="content">United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that corruption is not only a crime but also immoral and the "ultimate betrayal" of public trust while calling on the international community to work together and stamp out the global scourge, in all its forms.</p>
"Corruption is criminal, immoral and the ultimate betrayal of public trust," the UN chief said in a statement on today, Xinhua news agency reported.

The secretary-general underlined that in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, corruption was proving to be even more damaging in its impact on the most vulnerable.

"The response to the virus is creating new opportunities to exploit weak oversight and inadequate transparency, diverting funds away from people in their hour of greatest need," the UN chief said.

Corruption during the pandemic can seriously undermine good governance globally, and send the world even further off-track in its efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), he added.

There are also very direct risks to health. "Unscrupulous merchants peddle faulty products such as defective ventilators, poorly manufactured tests or counterfeit medicines," said Guterres, noting that collusion among those who control supply chains has led to outrageous price hikes, skewing the market and denying many people life-saving treatment.

The United Nations will continue to prioritize transparency and accountability, in and beyond the Covid-19 response, the UN chief pledged.

The secretary-general called on governments to be careful and not act in haste, making sure to vet suppliers, and ensure fair pricing of essential goods as supply chains continue to be under strain.

He also urged everyone to join hands against corrupt and exploitative acts.

"We must work together to stop such thievery and exploitation by clamping down on illicit financial flows and tax havens; tackling the vested interests that benefit from secrecy and corruption; and exercising utmost vigilance over how resources are spent nationally," said Guterres.

"We must create more robust systems for accountability, transparency and integrity without delay," he added.

Guterres also called for governments and leaders to be transparent and accountable, and for businesses to act responsibly, highlighting the importance of a vibrant civic space and open access to information.

"Technological advances can help increase transparency and better monitor procurement of medical supplies," said the secretary-general, adding that anti-corruption bodies should be supported and empowered..

IANS

Recent Posts

Architect of India’s transition into the 21st century: PM Modi hails Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his 100th birth anniversary

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the 100th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari…

1 hour ago

Gender budgeting share in total expenditure rises to 6.8% from 4.5% in 2014, up 18.9% in FY25 (YoY): RBI

India has completed 20 years of implementing gender budgeting policies, with the share of the…

1 hour ago

Outdated infrastructure and transformer failures worsen electricity shortages in PoGB

The region of Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB) is enduring an escalating electricity crisis that continues to…

16 hours ago

Uyghur educational activist dies in custody of Chinese authorities

An Uyghur intellectual and education advocate, who was detained the night before his daughter's wedding…

19 hours ago

Create data-rich platform to benefit investigation officers: Amit Shah to NCRB

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has instructed the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) to develop…

19 hours ago

Brazil:163 workers rescued from “slave” like conditions from Chinese EV company BYD

Brazilian authorities have rescued 163 workers from conditions similar to "slavery" at a construction site…

20 hours ago