ICAC and Brazil’s CGU sign MoU to strengthen anti-corruption tie

The ICAC and the Office of the Comptroller General of Brazil (CGU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) yesterday (June 10) at the ICAC Headquarters to strengthen cooperation in combating corruption.

The MoU was signed by ICAC Commissioner Mr Woo Ying-ming and Secretary for Private Sector Integrity of the CGU, Mr Marcelo Pontes Vianna. In the bilateral meeting held by the two parties on the same day, Mr Woo expressed his wish to enhance collaboration with CGU and strengthen cooperation and training with Brazil as well as the neighbouring countries by positioning Brazil as an anti-corruption hub in Latin America. The ICAC also looked forward to further enhancing graft-fighting cooperation and experience exchange with Portuguese-speaking countries and regions including Brazil, Portugal and Macau, so as to jointly advance anti-corruption capabilities.

Mr Woo, also the President of the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA), noted that the IAACA was an international anti-corruption platform dedicated to anti-corruption advocacy and exchange. While the IAACA had adopted a regional anti-corruption approach in recent years, both parties could leverage this platform in enhancing graft-fighting effectiveness.

Mr Pontes Vianna said that Brazil and neighbouring countries had been committed to learning and applying technologies and artificial intelligence in anti-corruption work and addressing challenges posed by organised corruption. By gaining a deeper understanding of the ICAC’s successful three-pronged strategy comprising law enforcement, prevention and education and learning from the ICAC's successful experience of over half a century, he anticipated that the sustainable collaboration would benefit the integrity development of both Brazil and its neighbouring countries.

Since 2024, the two agencies have maintained collaboration to strengthen anti-corruption efforts and capabilities in both jurisdictions, including exchanging views on global graft fight in the Executive Committee of the IAACA. In February 2024, the CGU took part in an international anti-corruption training programme organised by the ICAC – the “Professional Development Programme on Financial Investigation and Asset Recovery” – to deepen understanding on the anti-corruption regime and the rule of law in Hong Kong. Last March, the ICAC sent officers to Brazil to host the “Capacity Building Programme for the Office of the Comptroller General of the Union, Brazil”, sharing the Commission’s anti-corruption strategies and enforcement experience.

After signing the MoU, both parties would strengthen the sharing and exchange of experiences and information in anti-corruption, investigation and asset recovery, collaborate in organising trainings, seminars, workshops and conferences, as well as promote integrity and transparency in both the public and private sectors.

Reference URL: https://www.icac.org.hk/en/p/press/index_id_4967.html

Source industry: /