BC to utilize Jakarta Principles when drafting new Bribery Act

The Bribery Commission (BC) today said it has been mandated by the Cabinet to draft a fresh Bribery Act and that it would seek recommendations of the Jakarta Principles when drafting it.

Issuing a statement over the Global Expert Group Meeting (EGM) on the Jakarta Principles, the BC said the new Act drafting process will benefit immensely from enhanced clarity, international best practices, and comparative experiences regarding the most important of recommendations contained in the Jakarta Principles.

The three day Meeting which is co-hosted by the Bribery Commission of Sri Lanka, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Sri Lanka, was launched by President Maithripala Sirisena in Colombo today.

Adopted by experts and practitioners at a meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2012, the Jakarta Principles aim to strengthen the effectiveness and independence of anti-corruption authorities around the world.

Present and former heads of anti-corruption authorities from over 30 countries and international anti-corruption experts will attend the meeting.

The EGM is convened to develop a “Commentary on the Jakarta Statement on Principles for Anti-Corruption Agencies” in response to a request by the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) member states to develop a knowledge base on the effective implementation of Articles 6 and 36 of UNCAC.

The BC said the EGM is a reflection of international recognition of Sri Lanka’s journey towards a corruption free society and the Commission welcomes the invitation to co-host the EGM extended in recognition of its recent active participation in anti-corruption initiatives in the region.

“As the Bribery Commission (BC) has progressed far in the process of drafting the national Anti-Corruption Action Plan, which included island-wide consultations with the public and specialized sectors to solicit their views, it looks forward to strengthening the draft Action Plan with international best practices shared at this forum,” the Commission said.