The Asia Regional Expert Meeting on Measuring the Effectiveness of Anti-Corruption Agencies (ACAs), being held from 30 June to 2 July 2026 in Thimphu, commenced today. The Anti jointly hosts the two-and-a-half-day meeting, the Corruption Commission of Bhutan (ACC) and the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA), an international organization based in Austria.
The meeting has brought together 34 delegates representing 15 anti-corruption agencies, international and regional organizations, and academic institutions, alongside national representatives from 11 justice sector, law enforcement, and oversight bodies, as well as the statistical office.
The Chairperson of the ACC, in her opening remarks, underscored that the true measure of anti-corruption efforts lies not only in the number of cases investigated or assets recovered, but in the trust citizens place in public institutions and the lasting improvements in governance and integrity. Highlighting Bhutan’s proactive anti-corruption journey and the visionary leadership of His Majesty The Druk Gyalpo, she emphasized that integrity is both a national asset and a development imperative. Further, drawing on the findings of Bhutan’s recently launched National Integrity Assessment 2025, she noted that while corruption remains low and public sector integrity is strong, strengthening institutional culture, ethical leadership, and public confidence remains the next frontier for Bhutan.
The Dean of IACA highlighted that the meeting will contribute to developing more meaningful, evidence-based approaches to measuring the effectiveness of anti-corruption agencies, while strengthening regional cooperation and collective learning. This reaffirms that the future success of anti-corruption institutions will depend not only on stronger legal frameworks and enforcement, but also on their ability to innovate, adapt, demonstrate impact, and ultimately earn and sustain public trust.
The meeting forms part of IACA’s Global Programme on Measuring Corruption, which has been working since 2022 with anti-corruption practitioners worldwide to develop practical, country-specific methodologies for assessing anti-corruption effectiveness.
For Bhutan, hosting this meeting reflects its continued commitment to integrity, accountability, and good governance. As the country advances transformative national initiatives, including the Gelephu Mindfulness City, one principle remains constant: what must distinguish Bhutan is not merely what it builds, but how it builds it.