Vilnius, Lithuania: On June 20, 2024, a workshop titled “Addressing Strategic Corruption and Illicit Finance: Safeguarding Democracies and Economic Stability” took place as part of the International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC) Programme.

Moderated by the Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative Secretariat and coordinated by the Center for the Study of Democracy, this gathering convened a distinguished panel of experts and stakeholders deeply committed to tackling corruption as a threat undermining democratic governance. The panelists shared their views on investment screening, tracking illicit wealth and assets of sanctioned individuals, use of big data for risk assessments, and corruption-proofing of legislation.

Under the moderation of Ms. Desislava Gotskova, Head of RAI Secretariat, the workshop featured prominent figures such as Christian Beck from MEP Daniel Freund’s office, Dr. Oksana Huss from OECD and BIT-ACT, Prof. Dr. Elizabeth David-Barrett from the University of Sussex, Dr. David Jackson from U4 Anti-corruption Resource Centre, Daniela Mineva from the Center for the Study of Democracy, Dr. Nedim Hogic from the University of Oslo, and Dr. Ramadan Ilazi from the Kosovo Centre for Security Studies. Together, they explored innovative approaches to:

• Broadening corruption risk assessments beyond monetary losses to include damage to public institutions’ capacity and public interest.
• Developing robust tools and strategies to counter state capture and illicit financial flows.
• Strengthening regional cooperation to mitigate foreign influence and enhance governance transparency.
• Advocating for political solutions alongside technical measures to combat strategic corruption effectively.

The workshop emphasized the urgent need for coordinated action among governments, civil society, and international organizations to fortify democratic resilience and economic security against corruption’s insidious impacts.

As discussions concluded, participants reaffirmed their commitment to advancing practical solutions and fostering a network of reform-minded entities dedicated to achieving measurable progress in the fight against corruption.