[JURIST] The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) on Saturday agreed to organize an intelligence network [press release] with participating nations in an effort to combat corruption within the region. APEC acknowledged the necessity of a network between countries because current government corruption “impedes economic sustainability and development, threatens social security and fairness, undermines the rule of law, and erodes government accountability, as well as public trust.” The new network is set to provide complete government transparency through the process by utilizing Anti-Corruption and Transparency (ACT) Working Group [APEC backgrounder] to carry out the plan. APEC concluded its statement by strongly encouraging governments within the region to cooperate with its efforts to collectively attack corruption.

Governmental corruption has been a topic of serious discussion throughout the Asia-Pacific region in recent years, especially in India. In January Indian president Pranab Mukherjee [official website] signed into law [JURIST report] a landmark anti-graft bill. The new law creates a corruption ombudsman with extensive power to prosecute politicians and civil servants to create a “bribe-free India.” Last July the India’s supreme court ruled [JURIST report] that elected representatives convicted of serious crimes must immediately vacate their positions and be disqualified from future elections. The anti-corruption bill was stalled [JURIST report] in the upper house of parliament in December 2011. The bill failed to pass after an abrupt reversal by the ruling congress, a move criticized by the opposition party. The lower house of parliament passed the bill [JURIST report] earlier that month.