Anti-corruption policies in Asia and the Pacific: the legal and institutional framework for fighting corruption in twenty-one Asian and Pacific countries

As  the  harmful  effects  of  corruption  on  economic  development, political stability and social welfare today are apparent throughout the world, combating corruption enjoys high priority among governments and societies throughout the Asia-Pacific region. To strengthen regional cooperation in this endeavor, 23 countries have joined the Asian Development Bank (ADB)/ Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Anti-Corruption Initiative for Asia and the Pacific.  While the Initiative’s Action Plan has since triggered a broad range of legal and institutional anti-corruption reforms in participating countries, the battle against corruption is far from being won. To  gain  a  comprehensive  understanding  of  the  particular  challenges that  the  Asia-Pacific  region  is  facing  in  this  endeavor,  this  report  reviews legal instruments and institutional mechanisms, anti-corruption policies and trends in the following 21 countries. The report provides a tool to measure progress over time and serves to disseminate good practices and experiences throughout the region. The Anti-Corruption  Action  Plan  for  Asia  and  the  Pacific,  endorsed  by  all  these countries, serves as a reference standard for this analysis.