Corruption is connected to illegal trafficking of arms, drugs and people as well as terrorism, says UN Secretary-General.
The cost of corruption is at least $2.6 trillion, or 5% of the global GDP, UN Secretary-General said.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) recently held its First-ever meeting on the corruption and their connections to global conflicts.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that corruption is connected to illegal trafficking of arms, drugs and people as well as terrorism.
The cost of corruption is at least $2.6 trillion, or 5% of the global GDP, UN Secretary-General said.
businesses and individuals pay more than $1 trillion in bribes each year, the United Nations Secretary-General said.
“Large-scale corruption surveys conducted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime found that bribery of public officials was particularly high in areas affected by conflict,” he said
He urged the International Community to work effectively against Money Laundering, Tax Evasion, and illegal financial flows.
“I call on leaders everywhere to listen, to nurture a culture of integrity and to empower citizens to do their part at the grass roots,” he added.
Nikki Haley the United States Ambassador to the United Nations said, 9 out of the 10 countries that transparency International considers the Most Corrupt in the world are on the Security Council agenda.
She further said, for all the time spent in the Security Council discussing the conflict, the international community hardly ever talks about how corruption fuels the instability, violence and criminal activity that put countries on the Council agenda.
