ADB intensifies anti-corruption drive

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is intensifying its anti-corruption efforts to ensure member countries, like the Philippines, and other development partners adhere to the same principle of integrity.

In a statement, the Manilabased multi-lateral institution said the bank approved an update to its Anti-corruption Policy aimed at improving the lender’s support to developing member countries (DMCs) in addressing issues such as tax integrity.

According to the ADB, the update to its anti-corruption policy is on top of other reforms and programs to be implemented over the next 12 months to improve the institution’s support to DMCs.

“ADB is not only about financing development projects… We’re also about fighting corruption and making sure that our member countries and other development partners adhere to the same principle of integrity,” Clare Wee, ADB’s Office of Anticorruption and Integrity’s (OAI) head said.

“We, at ADB, are committed to redoubling our anticorruption efforts to better assist the region’s pursuit of a more sustainable and inclusive development,” he added.

Based on OAI 2016 report, the ADB plans to implement a $2 million technical assistance this year to DMCs to counter money laundering and financing of terrorism.

ADB is also spending on technical support not only to tackle tax integrity issues but also to promote domestic resource mobilization.

OAI, likewise, prepares new tax guidelines for ADB’s non-sovereign operations.

But the bank assured it will retain a respectful work environment through a newly established Respectful Workplace Unit, which will include mandatory anticorruption and respect at work training for all staff.

These efforts will ride on the back of a anticorruption and integrity drive from ADB through both enforcement and prevention strategies in 2016.

According to OAI’s latest report, 98 firms and 40 individuals were debarred for integrity violations on top of cross-debarment for 86 firms and 47 individuals last year.

Nine firms and one individual, meanwhile, were conditionally non-debarred, 18 firms and 9 individuals reprimanded, and 16 firms and 13 individuals cautioned.

OAI conducted seven proactive reviews— or Project ProcurementRelated Reviews (PPRR)—of ongoing ADB-financed projects in 2016 with a value of $1.8 billion.

PPRRs identify noncompliance issues, irregularities and integrity concerns, with project procurement, disbursements, and delivery of project outputs.