by Jose Cruz-Osorio, Manager, Regional Hub for UNDP Latin America and the Caribbean
"Our new reality of the COVID-19 global pandemic provides a stark reminder that the abuse of entrusted power for private gain can cost people freedom, health, life, and the future. On this International Anticorruption Day, it is especially important, therefore, that we pay close attention to the UN Secretary General’s call to “work on innovative solutions to win the battle against corruption and to ensure that precious resources serve the peoples of the world”.
Corruption undermines any prospects for sustainable development and is a detour away from Agenda 2030. It significantly contributes to poverty, functioning effectively as a regressive tax that disproportionately affects the most vulnerable and marginalized. It erodes citizens' confidence in public institutions and undermines social cohesion, especially in fragile contexts. And – very importantly – it consumes resources that could be channeled towards much-needed public goods."
To read the full article, visit UNDP LAC.