A historic first for Saudi Arabia as it recently hosted the inaugural Ministerial Meeting of the G-20 Anti-Corruption Working Group (ACWG) online. Saudi Arabia, currently serving its term as the president of G-20, holds the distinction of being the first Arab nation to do so.
Exploring the Role and Objective of the G-20 Anti-Corruption Working Group
Raised at the Toronto Summit of G-20 in June 2010, the G-20 Anti-Corruption Working Group (ACWG) has just marked its first decade. The group’s main mission is to draft detailed recommendations for consideration by leaders on how the G-20 could continue to make practical and valuable contributions to international efforts to combat corruption.
The ACWG, under the G-20 anti-corruption umbrella, coordinates the collective and national actions carried out by its members. It actively collaborates with the World Bank Group, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
G-20’s Active Role in Combating Corruption
In recent years, the G-20 has played a pivotal role in global and national anti-corruption efforts. The group recognizes the detrimental effect of corruption, which not only undermines fair competition and distorts resource allocation but also destroys public trust and undermines the rule of law.
To ensure member countries lead by example, they’ve agreed on the Anti-Corruption Action Plan for 2019-2021; this was finalized in Buenos Aires in 2018. This plan will foster the development of targeted actions where the G-20 can best add value in promoting global efforts in the fight against corruption.
Anti-Corruption Initiatives in India
India’s fight against corruption is led by several bodies and guided by numerous acts. The Central Vigilance Commission, created in 1964, operates independently to oversee vigilance administration and advise the executive branch on corruption-related issues.
The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, seeks to keep corruption at bay and strike hard against corporate bribery. The Act was amended in 2018 to introduce new provisions including those that criminalize the act of giving bribes in addition to taking them. At the same time, it creates a robust deterrent for such actions by individuals as well as corporate entities.
Furthermore, The Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 2013, provided for the establishment of Lokpal for the Union and Lokayukta for States to ensure more transparency, citizen-centricity, and accountability in governance. The Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018, empowers authorities to attach and confiscate proceeds of crime and properties as well as assets of a fugitive economic offender.
Other Related Legislation and Moves in India
A wide range of other legislation and initiatives has been introduced in India’s fight against corruption. This includes the Right to Information Act, 2005, Whistleblowers Protection Act, 2014, Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 2016, and the ratification of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption in 2011. The introduction of e-governance was another significant move in this direction.
An Overview of G-20
G-20 is an informal group of 19 countries and the European Union (EU), with representatives of the IMF and the World Bank. It represents around two-thirds of the world’s population, 85% of the global GDP, 80% of global investment, and over 75% of global trade.
The G-20 operates as a forum rather than an organisation, so it’s without a permanent secretariat. The financial ministers and central bank governors within the group began meeting in the aftermath of the 1997-99 Asian Financial Crisis. Amid the 2008 Financial Crisis, they agreed that G-20 leaders would start meeting annually.
G-20 members include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the USA, and the EU, with one nation holding the chair every year, known as the ‘G20 Presidency’.