The importance of prevention and asset recovery was stressed at the 13th anti-corruption dialogue between the Vietnamese Government, international donors and other development partners held in Ha Noi yesterday.
Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, also deputy head of the Central Steering Committee on Corruption Prevention and Control, said corruption prevention measures have produced positive results in recent years, as manifested in reforms effected in administrative procedures relating to investment, land, taxation and customs.
Asset recovery was an important task in the fight against corruption, but the work has yet to reach needed levels, he said.
Phuc suggested that State management offices strengthen inspections and promote the role of people and press agencies in this and other related issues.
Justice Minister Ha Hung Cuong reiterated that prevention was the first and most important solution in the fight against corruption, while asset recovery aimed to address the negative impacts of bribery on public resources.
Prevention and asset recovery are the two main pillars of the United Nations Convention on Anti-corruption (UNCAC) and related mechanisms of member states including Viet Nam would reviewed starting next year, he said.
Giles Lever, UK Ambassador to Viet Nam, noted that Viet Nam's anti-money laundering efforts have been recognised internationally by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering (AP-GML).
He noted that Viet Nam was no longer subject to FATF monitoring under its ongoing global compliance process.
Lever also stressed the need for translating high-level anti-corruption statements from the Vietnamese leadership to "sustained, effective action to prevent, deter, expose and punish corrupt behaviour."
Many participants suggested that the Vietnamese Government continues working on laws and other legal documents towards increasing the effectiveness of anti-corruption measures.
They also called for specific programmes to raise public awareness, including campaigns to get press agencies and businesses involved in the fight against corruption.
According to the nation's main prosecuting agency, the Supreme People's Procuracy, from October 1, 2010 to April 30, 2013, the total value of assets and losses caused by corruption was over VND17 trillion (US$800 million), of which nearly VND5 trillion has been recovered, accounting for 29.4 per cent.
An anti-corruption report compiled by the Government shows that so far this year, inspections have discovered 54 cases worth VND68.5 billion, of which VND46.9 billion has been recovered. —
