ECOSOC: Italy promotes SDG16 as “compass for navigating intersecting crises”

NEW YORK, MAY 2 – Addressing ECOSOC for a Special Meeting on SDG 16 on improving governance and reducing corruption, the Italian permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Maurizio Massari stressed that Italy is promoting SDG 16 (Peace Justice and Strong Institution) as a “key enabler for the SDGs”, nationally and internationally, both at policy and operational levels, working with key UN partners such as UNDESA, UNDP, UNODC, UNICRI and specialized IGOs’, such as IDLO.

The 4th SDG 16 Rome Conference at the end of the month (May 30 to June 1) will further discuss the role of SDG 16 as “a compass for navigating intersecting crises” and will include a specific sub-theme on rebuilding trust in public institutions through “strengthening accountability, transparency and tackling corruption”. We encourage all actors to engage at the Conference, said Massari.

At policy level, the Ambassador recalled that the Italian G20 Presidency in 2021 promoted the first ever G20 High-Level Principles on corruption related to organized crime, on preventing and combating corruption in emergencies. At national level, since 2012 the Italian Anticorruption Authority (ANAC) is the National Independent Authority in charge of anticorruption strategies and integrity of the public sector through both regulatory and supervisory functions.

At the UN Italy also promotes and facilitates the General Assembly Resolution on the UN Programs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice which fosters multilateral cooperation and capacity-building in the multifaceted aspects of transnational crimes, including in the fight against corruption. “All these contributions, including from this meeting, will be instrumental to ensure that these aspects are well reflected in the next SDG Summit and its Political Declaration, while recalling that the next HLPF in 2024 will also do a new in-depth review of SDG 16”, Massari added wishing for an improved and deeper cooperation between the UN and regional organizations, also to give even more regional ownership to this common endeavor. (@OnuItalia)