UNCAC IRG meeting, 31 August - 4 September 2025
Chair,
Allow me at the outset to thank you for your continued leadership. I also wish to thank the secretariat for its excellent work in preparing and supporting this session.
Chair, excellencies, distinguished delegates,
I have the honor of delivering at joint statement on behalf of Norway and my own country, Denmark.
The governments of Norway and Denmark would like to highlight the importance of the online dashboard on technical assistance foreseen in paragraph 18 of resolution 11/2. We see this as a practical tool that can help strengthen the implementation of the Convention, improve coordination on technical assistance, and enhance transparency and accountability across the implementation review process.
One of the key strengths of the UNCAC review mechanism is its ability to identify concrete implementation challenges and technical assistance needs. However, too often valuable information contained in country reviews remains difficult to access, compare, and follow up on over time. The dashboard can help bridge that gap by making information more visible, more accessible, and more useful for both States parties requesting and providing technical assistance, as well as other technical assistance providers.
For requesting States, the dashboard could provide a structured way to communicate priority needs identified through the review process. This would strengthen country ownership by ensuring that assistance is guided by needs identified by the States themselves rather than by donor priorities alone. It could also help countries identify relevant examples and good practices from other jurisdictions that have faced similar challenges.
For technical assistance providers, including bilateral donors, multilateral organizations, and development agencies, the dashboard could become an important planning and coordination tool. By providing a clearer overview of identified needs, ongoing support, and areas where assistance remains unavailable, it can help providers allocate resources more strategically and avoid duplication of efforts. This is particularly important in a context where available resources are limited and should be directed where they can have the greatest impact.
Norway and Denmark also see considerable value in the transparency dimension of the dashboard. A transparent overview of technical assistance needs and support provided can help ensure that commitments made through the review process are translated into concrete follow-up actions.
In recent years, we have also seen several successful examples of UNODC working closely with expert civil society organizations in the delivery of technical assistance, including in areas such as beneficial ownership transparency, procurement, and whistleblower protection. This experience demonstrates the value of drawing on a broad range of expertise and partnerships in support of States parties. The dashboard could help make such experiences more visible and support practical learning across regions.
The dashboard could serve as a common reference point for States parties, donors, international organizations, expert civil society organizations, and other stakeholders. By increasing the level of information published on technical assistance requests and on projects being implemented, it could facilitate
cooperation, reduce duplication, and encourage a more coordinated response to identified needs.
Greater transparency would also allow other States and stakeholders to learn from implementation experiences and identify opportunities for further cooperation. This could include information on the type of assistance provided, the stakeholders involved, and lessons learned from implementation.
Paragraph 18 also refers to information on technical assistance offered and the outcomes of such assistance. This focus on outcomes is important. The objective should not only be to document activities, but to understand whether support contributes to stronger institutions, improved implementation of the Convention, and measurable progress in preventing and combating corruption.
A well-functioning dashboard could therefore support a more results-oriented approach by helping identify what works, where further support is needed, and how future assistance can be designed more effectively.
In Norway and Denmark's view, the dashboard has the potential to become an important instrument for enhancing transparency, improving coordination, strengthening accountability, and supporting more effective implementation of the Convention. We therefore encourage continued efforts to develop this tool and to maximize its practical value for all stakeholders.
Thank you.
