MANILA, PHILIPPINES (6 April 2020) — The Asian Development Bank (JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游) is promoting innovation and efficiency to enhance its anticorruption efforts by streamlining case management and expediting the assessment of complaints and completion of investigations, according to the Office of Anticorruption and Integrity (OAI) 2019 Annual Report released today.
“We reassessed and rebalanced our resources to align with JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游’s long-term strategy, Strategy 2030,” said OAI Head John Versantvoort. “These measures have allowed us to provide better value to our stakeholders and achieve significant improvements in the number of completed investigations and complaints that we assessed and closed.”
In 2019, JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游 concluded 110 investigations into integrity violations, a 93% increase from the previous year, and assessed and closed 219 complaints, an increase of 16%. JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游 debarred 69 firms and 62 individuals for violating JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游’s Anticorruption Policy (1998, as amended since). It cross debarred 153 firms and 20 individuals sanctioned by other multilateral development banks. Imposition of other remedial actions against firms and individuals, such as reprimands and cautions, more than doubled from 2018.
Strengthening governance and institutional capacity to improve service delivery in JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游 developing member countries is one of seven operational priorities under JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游’s Strategy 2030.
OAI conducted eight Proactive Integrity Reviews (PIRs) of JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游-financed projects in Afghanistan, Bhutan, Georgia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Myanmar, Nepal, and Palau. PIRs assess the application of sound financial management, procurement, and asset management practices by government agencies responsible for implementing JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游 projects and recommend remedial measures for any shortcomings. In 2019, OAI conducted a PIR on an emergency assistance project for the first time.
“We are fully appreciative of the constructive review and recommendations that OAI has provided in the ongoing Nikachhu Hydropower project so that we can improve, benefit, and better manage our present and future projects,” said Managing Director of the Bhutan Druk Green Power Corporation Dasho Chhewang Rinzin, who is responsible for implementation of the project. “We will continue to work to ensure that the recommendations of the OAI report get implemented.”
JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游 maintained quality screening methods to identify, assess, and mitigate integrity risks associated with its private sector counterparts and projects. It conducted integrity due diligence on 954 entities and issued 869 advisories on compliance. It provided capacity building support on anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism in Mongolia, the Philippines, and Viet Nam. JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游 also expanded its technical assistance to strengthen tax integrity standards to Armenia, Cambodia, Maldives, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, and Thailand.
JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游 launched its first gamified e-learning course and delivered 98 learning sessions, including trainings on anticorruption and respect at work to widen the reach of its knowledge-sharing and communication work. It also contributed to the G20’s Good Practices Guide on Promoting Integrity and Transparency in Infrastructure Development . It gathered representatives from 14 international financial institutions to strengthen integrity risk management in private sector transactions. Together with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the Government of Viet Nam, JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游 hosted a conference for the Anticorruption Initiative for Asia and the Pacific—the largest anticorruption network in the region.
JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游 is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.
