Washington, D.C.— When heads of state from around the world arrive in New York City later this month for the U.N. summit on the adoption of the post-2015 development goals, one critical area of discussion will be reducing illicit financial flows, or IFFs—resources diverted from bribery, corruption, tax evasion, money laundering, theft of state assets, and other abuses.
In a report released today, the Center for American Progress has outlined how the United Nations could use the Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs—the successor to the Millennium Development Goals—to achieve these objectives. The report uses the United States as an example nation, pointing to ways it can leverage the SDGs to combat corruption and illicit financial flows.
“Illicit financial flows and corruption are deeply connected,” said Molly Elgin-Cossart, CAP Senior Fellow and co-author of the report. “IFFs stymie economic and social goals and erode public trust. The result is a reduction in important resources for states and, ultimately, for the people they serve. The upcoming adoption of the SDGs is an opportunity to make the global fight against corruption and illicit financial flows a priority, and the United States can take a leading role in these efforts.”
The report focuses on three particularly important objectives and outlines how the United States could take significant steps to reduce corruption as part of the SDGs. Those goals include significantly reducing illicit financial and arms flows; strengthening efforts to combat organized crime and recover stolen assets; and reducing bribery in all its forms.
Click here to read the report.
For more information on this topic or to speak with an expert, contact Tom Caiazza at [email protected] or 202.481.7141.
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