Mr. President,

I welcome the opportunity to address this very important Special Session of the General Assembly against Corruption.

Throughout the centuries, corruption – the abuse of entrusted power for a private gain - has been one of the most widespread and insidious challenges to economic and social progress.

No country is free of corruption. It is both a local and a transnational phenomenon and occurs equally in the public and private sector. It hinders economic development, weakens social cohesion, and undermines democratic values.

Overall, corruption undercuts the trust and respect which are the fundamental cornerstones of all societies.

Fortunately, over the past decades, the international community has increasingly recognised the importance of working together to systematically fighting corruption, as enshrined in the United Nations Convention against Corruption.

Anti-corruption is also a key enabler for the achievement of the 2030 Agenda, with SDG16 highlighting the central importance of effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions to sustainable development progress.

Mr. President,

Iceland is fully committed to global efforts against corruption and are participating in numerous international mechanisms aimed at advancing this important agenda.

We ratified the United Nations Convention against Corruption a decade ago and are firmly committed to its implementation. We have integrated the Convention into our legal system, including its definition of corrupt criminal behaviour.

We are also a member of the Council of Europe's Group of States against Corruption (GREC) and have ratified OECD´s Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions.

In line with our international commitments, Icelandic authorities consistently report to the relevant international bodies on national progress in this area and are also subject to regular evaluations.

Doing this, is a central part of keeping ourselves in check and ensuring that we follow international obligations. It is also a key element in learning from others and adopting best practices.

And we have received some good feedback.

The OECD Working Group on Bribery, has, for example, recognized Iceland’s good practices when it comes to enhancing detection capacities.

And our recent legislation on whistle-blower protection has been welcomed.

At the same time, the Icelandic authorities are fully aware of the need to address areas for improvement. We know that our tools to prevent and combat corruption need to be continuously refined and their implementation strengthened.

The important role of civil society and media in combating and exposing corruption is also something worth highlighting. It is critical that civil society and media have the voice, space, and freedom to fulfil this task.

Mr. President,

Corruption is always evolving, and opportunities for the corrupt to move across national boundaries and utilise new technologies for illicit gain are proliferating.

This makes multilateral cooperation on combatting and preventing corruption ever more important.

No one country can tackle this menace on its own. We all need to work together, and Iceland is certainly committed to play its part.

I thank you.

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