International Anti-Corruption Conference IACC 2024 Concludes – Gratitude to Lithuania and Its People

This week, the International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC2024) was held in Vilnius, bringing together over 2,000 participants from more than 140 countries, including anti-corruption experts, policymakers, practitioners, and the academic community. Attendees included the President and Prime Minister of Lithuania, the Secretaries-General and Executive Secretaries of the OECD, Council of Europe, UN Economic Commission for Europe, as well as leaders from the World Bank, Europol, Interpol, Transparency International, the US Department of State’s Global Anti-Corruption Coordinator, and the White House National Security Council’s Anti-Corruption Head, among others. The final day of the conference saw the publishing of the Vilnius Declaration, which included appreciations to Lithuania and its people.

"Corruption represents a formidable challenge undermining peace, security, and sustainable development. It erodes public trust, weakens institutions, and threatens the very foundations of democracy and the rule of law. To stay united and strong as a community of free and independent states, we must all maintain and improve our resilience. Integrity Unites Us, Corruption Divides Us – let these word encapsulate our collective resolve!”, said President Gitanas Nausėda during the conference.

Gitanas Nausėda, President of the Republic of Lithuania

Over 30 leaders from various countries’ law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies gathered at the conference to discuss common challenges and solutions. Key topics included investigating high-level corruption schemes, holding top-level corrupt officials accountable, and ensuring the independence of anti-corruption institutions. A joint statement was adopted, symbolizing a unified commitment to combat high-level corruption and adhere to the principles of the rule of law. It also urges all national and international law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies to cooperate in strengthening investigative and prosecutorial capacities to hold those engaged in high-level corruption accountable.

OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann highlighted in his speech that higher levels of transparency and lower levels of corruption in countries are directly linked to increased investments, greater economic growth, better job creation, higher incomes, and an improved standard of living.

Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General of the OECD

In his closing speech, Special Investigation Service (STT) Director Linas Pernavas said, "As we conclude this conference, let us carry forward the spirit of collaboration, innovation and solidarity that has defined our time together. Let us continue working together towards a future free from corruption, where justice, accountability and ethical governance prevail. Today, we shall depart with a renewed sense of purpose and shared commitment to fostering positive change within our communities. Through our collective efforts, we can establish a world where integrity is the norm, trust is reinstated and transparency becomes a guiding principle."

Linas Pernavas, Director of the Special Investigation Service of the Republic of Lithuania

Traditionally, the conference concluded with the publication of a final document. Today, the Vilnius Declaration was adopted, expressing the expectations and commitments of all conference participants in the field of anti-corruption. Some of these commitments include protecting those who fight against corruption, strengthening whistleblower protection, combating environmental crimes by urging governments, businesses, and civil society to fight corruption in climate projects, and promoting sustainable economic policies. The declaration also thanked the people of Lithuania and especially the STT for successfully organizing one of the largest and highest-quality conferences in IACC history.

The conference featured over 90 seminars and training sessions, 8 plenary sessions, and the heads of STT participated in more than 20 bilateral meetings with delegations from other countries. These meetings were initiated not only by the STT representatives but also by the heads of other institutions. One such meeting resulted in the signing of a Cooperation Memorandum with representatives of the Basel Institute on Governance, aimed at supporting the Bulgarian Government in enhancing its capacity to promote transparency, fight corruption, and recover assets acquired through criminal means in accordance with the goals of the Anti-Corruption Program.

The decision to host the International Anti-Corruption Conference in Lithuania was made by the IACC council following the Lithuanian President's proposal to organize the conference in Vilnius. In 2023, an official agreement was signed, endorsed by the Lithuanian Government, which entrusted the STT with organizing this conference.

More photos from IACC2024 held in Vilnius can be found here.

IACC is the most important global anti-corruption forum, aiming to address the greatest threats of corruption in the modern world. Since 1983, it has successfully influenced the global political and economic agenda. The IACC is held in a different country every two years: in 2022, it was held in the USA, in 2020 in South Korea, in 2018 in Denmark.