United Nations Convention Against Corruption

• Context (TH): 20 years of the United Nations Convention against Corruption.
• It is the 1^st legally binding international anti-corruption agreement.
• UNCAC entered into force in December 2005.
• Parties: 190 (including India).
• The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) was designated as a secretariat for the Convention’s conference of state parties.
• Areas covered:
  1. Criminalisation and law enforcement
  2. Preventive measures
  3. International cooperation
  4. Asset recovery
  5. Technical exchange and information exchange

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

• UNODC was established in 1997 through a merger between the United Nations Drug Control Programme and the Centre for International Crime Prevention.
• It was renamed the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in 2002.
• Headquarters: Vienna, Austria.
• Mandate: To assist Member States in their struggle against illicit drugs, organized crime and trafficking, crime prevention, corruption, and terrorism.
• It is a member of the United Nations Development Group (UNDG).
• It implements conventions like United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC) and United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC)
• It publishes World Drug Report annually.