Basel Institute on Governance

🇺🇦 Last month we kicked off a long-term training programme on Financial Investigations and Asset Recovery for Ukrainian practitioners. The first installment took place near the Ukrainian border in Lublin, Poland. Despite the enormous challenges generated by Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine's anti-corruption institutions are making strides and we are proud to support their endeavours. 🎓 The programme will boost local training capacity by qualifying six Ukrainian anti-corruption practitioners as International Centre for Asset Recovery trainers. 🔍 At the same time, 125 Ukrainians from a number of agencies will work together to hone their skills through hands-on training based on real world examples. 🇨🇭Funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/efVScXrc

"It is important to demonstrate that things can be done when we work together. Not necessarily because we are like-minded, but because joining different perspectives in a common framework has a significant potential for impact." Peter Maurer on why anti-corruption Collective Action is essential if we're to solve today's global challenges: https://lnkd.in/e9ieN3mY He was speaking at the opening of our International Collective Action Conference in Basel last week. Photos, videos and more to come – follow Collective Action at the Basel Institute.

Exciting to see how Switzerland is wielding its legal toolbox to confiscate assets connected to Ukraine’s 2014 Revolution of Dignity, with the aim of returning these to Ukraine. 🇨🇭🇺🇦 🤝 Cases are progressing under the Foreign Illicit Assets Act (FIAA). This rarely used law enables assets to be confiscated under special circumstances, including the impairment of the country of origin's judicial system. Around CHF 170 million in tainted assets associated with the former Yanukovych regime have been frozen since 2014. More on the current status of the cases in this NZZ article (in German): https://lnkd.in/eQW5qa6b And more on the legal mechanisms in this case study: https://lnkd.in/eQSK6Qtb Through our International Centre for Asset Recovery, we are pleased to be supporting our Swiss and Ukrainian partners in their efforts to recover and return funds arising from corruption and related financial crimes.

📢 Registration is now open for the 8th Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptocurrencies! 📢 Join us, Europol, UNODC and a host of leading virtual assets experts from across sectors to explore trends, strategies and tactics in tackling crypto-related crimes. In-person spaces are limited – sign up quickly to secure your spot! 📅 11–12 September 2024 (day 2 for law enforcement/public authorities only) 📍 UNODC headquarters, Vienna, Austria ℹ & registration: https://lnkd.in/eubdC6tX

We are thrilled to have signed an MoU with the Lithuanian Special Investigation Service Specialiųjų tyrimų tarnyba (STT) – among many other things the co-organisers of the excellent #IACC2024. Through the agreement, we will facilitate peer learning and exchange of know-how between the Lithuanian STT and the Bulgarian Anti-Corruption and Asset Recovery Commissions. 🇱🇹🇧🇬🤝 We look forward to learning from STT’s 27 years of exemplary experience in anti-corruption investigations, awareness raising, prevention and data analysis. Iker Lekuona, Director of our International Centre for Asset Recovery, and Nicola Bonucci, Member of the Board, signed the MoU together with Linas Pernavas, Director of the STT. Photo: Lithuanian Special Investigation Service Renne Traicova Mihail Boyadjiev Darius Mickevičius

🇺🇦 🤝 We are very pleased to have expanded our partnerships in Ukraine by signing a new MoU with the National Agency for Corruption Prevention (NACP). Національне агентство з питань запобігання корупції The agreement focuses on the prevention of corruption through the use of new tools and training for NACP employees. It also envisages cooperation on tracing and returning assets illegally withdrawn from Ukraine, and systemic risk reviews in the forestry sector. The MoU is an important step in our long-term collaboration. More information 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ep5P4ajG

As we explore options for our planned continuing education programme, we'd love to know how *you* like to learn 👇 See: https://lnkd.in/eqq2sTCV for more on our plans and a link to a longer survey by our lead Jörg Schmidt.

The role of victims and victim compensation in non-trial resolutions of financial crime prosecutions – or too often, the lack of a role – is something that concerns us deeply here at the Basel Institute. This paper 👇 is a crucial and revealing contribution to the debate. Eight of the world's leading financial crime litigation experts lay bear the laws and realities in their countries, analysing specific cases and pointing to gaps. We are pleased to act as Secretariat to the Academy and applaud collaborations such as these, which draw attention to vital issues of law and justice and provide the insights needed to find collaborative solutions.

🕯 Gemma Aiolfi spoke movingly at our 5th International Collective Action Conference about our late Managing Director Gretta Fenner – specifically, her passion and efforts over the years to foster anti-corruption Collective Action approaches and initiatives. Gemma's speech preceded the prize-giving ceremony for the 2024 Collective Action Awards. One of the Awards has been renamed in memory of Gretta. Read Gemma's words: https://lnkd.in/eEufM4Dk

François VALERIAN, Chair of Transparency International, kicked off day 2 of our International Collective Action Conference in Basel with a powerful speech emphasising the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration and the inclusion of civil society.   To catalyse the power of Collective Action to combat corrupt systems and power networks, we need to get better at:   ✅ Reaching out to all companies –> including key players like the financial sector and state-owned enterprises. ✅ Getting to the right people within a company –> the leaders and decision makers, as well as compliance and risk management professionals. ✅ Achieving ethical transformation within a company –> so that ethical principles are instilled within all processes and staff, and in the relationships between the companies and their external stakeholders.   Thank you François for your inspiring words and for your – and your organisation's – support to anti-corruption Collective Action over the years. Follow Collective Action at the Basel Institute for updates on the conference and more.