For information only – not an official document

UNIS/MA/332
23 October 2023

MEDIA ADVISORY

UN Office On Drugs and Crime marks 20th anniversary of UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) with high-level event

Media is invited to join the event, including photo opportunity
on 31 October 2023 from 10:00-12:00 hrs Vienna time

VIENNA, 23 October (UN Information Service) – The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) will mark the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) on 31 October with a high-level panel discussion. The discussion will showcase how the Convention has transformed the anti-corruption landscape and look forward to achieving UNCAC’s full implementation.

The event will be opened by UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly, Federal President of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen, and Othmar Karas, First Vice-President, European Parliament (via video).

UNCAC is unique. The Convention was drafted and negotiated in Vienna, Austria in 2002-2003 and, subsequently, adopted by the UN General Assembly on 31 October 2003. Today, it is the world’s first and only legally binding universal anti-corruption instrument with near universal adherence.

The opening is followed by a panel discussion on 20 years of the Convention: Where are we and where are we heading?” The event will be moderated by Martin Kreutner, Founder and First Dean of the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA), and Founder of the European Partners against Corruption Network (EPAC).

A detailed agenda including a list of panellists is available online: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/uncac20/anniversary.html

Time and Venue:

31 October 2023 from 10:00-12:00 (Vienna time), Board room D, Vienna International Centre.

Registration:

Journalists are invited to attend the event, including for a photo opportunity, in person or follow the event live on UN WebTV: https://media.un.org/en/asset/k11/k11kj5n2uj

Journalists who plan to attend in person and are not accredited to the UN in Vienna need to register by 30 October 2023, 12:00 hours by writing to press.vienna[at]un.org.

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For further information, please contact:

Brian Hansford 
Chief, UNODC Advocacy Section
Email: unodc-press[at]un.org

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