UN chief calls for rooting out corruption

UNITED NATIONS, May 23 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday asked countries to root out corruption on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Convention Against Corruption.

"The United Nations Convention Against Corruption represents the fundamental recognition that corruption is neither an acceptable cost of doing business nor a necessary evil. It is a serious crime, and simply unacceptable," he told a General Assembly high-level debate to mark the 15th anniversary of the adoption of the convention.

Corruption affects developed and developing countries alike, and complicity knows no borders. Those who can least afford corruption suffer the most, said Guterres. "It cripples economic development, stifles entrepreneurship and deters investment."

Society cannot function equitably and efficiently when public officials -- from doctors to police, judges and politicians -- enrich themselves rather than perform their duties with integrity.

He urged member states to use the convention as a platform to mobilize political and popular support for the fight against corruption. "It is the world's most agile instrument in the hands of the international community to achieve our common goals of good governance, stability and prosperity."

If governments are serious about doing the best for their citizens, then pledges to promote integrity and clamp down on corruption must be more than campaign promises and words on paper, he said. "I make an urgent call to our global leadership to take a moral stand and install a culture of integrity from the top down. It all begins with setting an example." Enditem