We facilitated an international experts’ meeting to brainstorm how to assess ACA performance. The discussion framed the first steps in taking forward the initiative, and culminated in the development of a basic assessment framework by anti-corruption expert Alan Doig.
We began to explore the possibility of developing an ACA assessment tool and the concept received further interest, ideas and backing from ACAs in the Asia Pacific region during the ADB/OECD Anti-Corruption Initiative’s meeting for Asia-Pacific in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
Transparency International commissioned anti-corruption expert Dr Jon Quah to further refine the framework, producing a set of indicators incorporating elements of our National Integrity Systems assessment methodology and other relevant tools and principles.
We organised a Focus Group Discussion in Bangkok, bringing together practitioners, researchers and ACAs to scrutinise the indicator framework and approach. Participants subsequently formed an Advisory Group to guide the finalisation of the assessment tool.
The assessment tool was applied to Bhutan’s Anti-Corruption Commission and lessons learned around the research framework, process and approach were captured and used to finalise the methodology in late 2015 in consultation with the Advisory Group.
The methodology for the initiative was finalised in the form of an Implementation Guide for country research teams.
A two day kick-off training workshop took place, led by Transparency International Bangladesh, to train researchers from our national chapters in Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Maldives, Mongolia, Sri Lanka and Taiwan. These Chapters are carrying out assessments of their respective ACAs in late 2015 and early 2016.
The first report of the initiative – the Bhutan Anti-Corruption Commission Assessment Report – was launched on 10 December, 2015, in Thimphu, Bhutan. See examples of the media coverage here and here.
Over 2016-17, national reports were published in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Assessments were also undertaken in Mongolia and Taiwan (Republic of China) in cooperation with their national ACAs.
Regional analysis comparing national findings in five countries across the Asia Pacific region was published in the regional report ‘Strengthening Anti-Corruption Agencies in the Asia Pacific’
The launch of the regional report was followed by a sharing and learning meeting between ACA Heads and Transparency International to discuss the findings and identify opportunities to improve.
We commissioned a policy paper on ACAs in the Asia Pacific region, which has findings that are relevant for ACAs across the Asia Pacific region and globally.
Transparency International has engaged nationally, regionally and globally to share the results from Round 1 reports and advocate for legislative and policy reform in order to strengthen ACAs.
Transparency International revised the ACA assessment methodology.
A two day training workshop took place in Jakarta, Indonesia, led by Transparency International Bangladesh, to train researchers from our national chapters in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Mongolia and Sri Lanka. These Chapters carried out assessments of their respective ACAs in 2019 under Phase 2 of the initiative.
