Hague, 29 November 2022 (TDI): The High-Level Round Table on Anti-Corruption is underway in The Hague, Netherlands from 27 to 29 November.
The Foreign Minister of Ecuador, Juan Carlos Holguín, and the Canadian Foreign Minister, Mélanie Joly are participating. Additionally, the Netherlands’ Foreign Minister, Wopke Hoekstra was also present.
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These three countries are part of the ‘Core Group’ that deals with international anti-corruption. The table seeks to sign a ministerial declaration of principles that recognizes the need to improve international cooperation & face new forms of corruption.
The Ministers also backed calls for the creation of a global anti-corruption court to help tackle “kleptocracy” at the head of governments.
In this vein, the Foreign Minister of the Netherlands, Wopke Hoekstra stated, The Netherlands, Canada, and Ecuador share the vision that round table could eventually lead to the establishment of an International Anti-Corruption Court.”
“Such a court will provide the international community with an additional tool to enforce existing anti-corruption laws.” He continued.
During the Round Table, a campaign for a graft-busting tribunal was launched, which would operate on similar lines to The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC). An American Senior Judge, Mark Wolf, who is also patronizing the campaign gave his remarks.
He told the panel, “The culture of ending corruption starts at the top down. Kleptocrats enjoy impunity because they control the administration of justice in the countries that they rule.”
Wolf emphasized the importance of the court and stressed that “This court could be a place where very brave whistleblowers could bring their evidence if unable to do so in the countries where they live.”
Previous efforts of the tripartite delegation
The first Summit for Democracy was held in 2021, where the delegations from Ecuador, Canada, and The Netherlands committed to present lines of intervention and anti-corruption architecture for the short and medium range.
In addition to examining effective ways to strengthen international institutional frameworks to fight corruption. In recent months, the group consolidated a public policy memorandum.
The memorandum includes the vision and recommendations of the three countries, around three anti-corruption issues on an international scale.
Read also: Canada, Ecuador sign Memorandum of Understanding
During the memorandum consolidation, Ecuador addressed the issue of the current framework; The Netherlands for gaps and solutions. While Canada talked about the issue of political will.
