A seven member delegation from Anti-Corruption Commission, Bhutan, led by Commissioner Jamtsho is attending the 10th Implementation Review Group (IRG) Meeting in Vienna, Austria. The meeting is hosted by the UNODC, Secretariat to United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) from 27-29 May 2019. The Implementation Review Group is a subsidiary body to Conference of State Parties (CoSP) with a function to oversee the review process of UNCAC Compliance and to identify challenges and good practices and consider technical assistance requirements in order to ensure effective implementation of the UNCAC. Bhutan’s compliance on UNCAC (Country Report) is submitted to IRG in accordance with section 35 of Review Mechanism and will be submitted to the CoSP later this year. The Executive Summary of Country Report can be accessed at:https://www.unodc.org/documents/treaties/UNCAC/WorkingGroups/ImplementationReviewGroup/ExecutiveSummaries/V1901186e.pdf. Bhutan was reviewed by Cook Islands and Tajikistan in 2018. The UNODC facilitated the review. Bhutan is required to submit information on implementation of recommendations in accordance with section 40-41 of Review Mechanism in the following years.
The delegation will also attend Working Group Meeting on Asset Recovery, Working Group Meeting on International Cooperation and Training for Second Cycle Review from 30-31st of May 2019. These are subsidiary bodies to CoSP responsible for identifying good practices and challenges in the field of asset recovery and international cooperation within the broad ambit of UNCAC. This will enable Bhutan to prepare for the review of Japan and Latvia, the process for which has been already started.