The Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) hosted the 19th ASEAN Parties Against Corruption meeting (ASEAN-PAC) on August 16-17 in Siem Reap province, with representatives from the anti-corruption bodies of 10 nations in attendance.
ACU chief Om Yentieng said the participants focused on two agenda items: one to define the formalities surrounding the issuance of an ASEAN-PAC e-booklet, and the other to organise the procedure for the admission of Timor-Leste’s Anti-Corruption Commission (CAC) as the 11th member of the organisation.
Chaired by Yentieng, the 18th meeting, held in Phnom Penh last November, approved two key documents: terms of reference (TOR) and a three-year 2023-2025 action plan. The draft e-booklet was initiated by the ACU, and is part of the action plan. It was scheduled for review by the secretariat at the 19th meeting.
He added that the sharing of experiences and cooperation within ASEAN-PAC was a continuation of many ASEAN programmes and cross-training activities.
The ACU also announced its readiness to work with Laos’ anti-corruption body – the State Inspection Authority (SIA) – which will host an ASEAN-PAC meeting in future.
The group meets twice per year, and like its ASEAN parent body, performs its tasks based on consultative principles and unanimous agreement.
The first meeting convened the leaders of ASEAN-PAC to examine and deliberate on key issues relating to the functioning of the group. The second is a secretariat meeting, where documents are prepared for submission to the leaders of ASEAN-PAC for approval.
Additional meetings may be scheduled when required.
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is one of ASEAN-PAC’s partner organisations, and works closely to provide capacity training.
