A number of special events preceded the Conference, namely:

• The Anti-Corruption Academic Symposium which we wrote about earlier;
• The Civil Society Forum where the role of non-governmental organisations in the fight against corruption was discussed.

The Conference paid particular attention to countering corruption in the private sector: a dedicated forum was held for the first time providing its participants with the opportunity to assess the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) and the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact in the context of the fight against corruption in the business sector, and to discuss possible future collective action and other measures to ensure business integrity taken both by the state and companies.

Additionally, the following topics were addressed by the forum for the first time:

• Countering corruption in procurement: these issues were discussed in the session on the use of new technologies to ensure integrity in public procurement;
• Protection of whistleblowers: in particular, a dedicated round table on the international perspectives for the protection of whistleblowers was held;
• Links between corruption and organised crime;
• Gender equality and the fight against corruption.

Another special event entitled “Launch of Nazaha’s Global Initiative to Measure Corruption” was dedicated to the launch of the joint project of the United Nations Development Programme and of the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority of Saudi Arabia on the development of data-driven corruption indicators and assessment of effectiveness of anti-corruption reforms that can be applicable in all countries in the future.

Some additional events were held on the sidelines of the Conference focused on such topics as:

• Tackling corruption in sport;
• Use of new technologies in countering corruption;
• The fight against corruption and protection of the environment;
• International cooperation;
• Asset recovery etc.

CoSP10 concluded with the adoption of resolutions concerning different anti-corruption aspects, including:

• Atlanta 2023: promoting integrity, accountability and transparency in the fight against corruption;
• The follow-up resolutions to the 2021 Sharm el-Sheikh and the 2011 Marrakech declarations;
• A number of resolutions centered on specific areas such as:

1. Corruption measurement and assessment of effectiveness of anti-corruption systems;
2.  International cooperation in civil and administrative proceedings related to corruption;
3. Enhancing integrity in the private sector;
4. Implementation of the UNCAC provisions in small island developing states;
5. Promoting the use of beneficial ownership information to strengthen asset recovery;
6. Integrity in public procurement;
7. Protection of whistleblowers;
8. Links between corruption and organised crime;
9. Promoting women empowerment to counter corruption.

The next session of the Conference of the UN Convention against Corruption will be held in Qatar in 2025.

*The Conference is organised every two years. The event is focused on discussing the progress in the implementation of the UN Convention against Corruption, exchanging experience and best practices on different aspects of the prevention of and the fight against corruption.