Bogotá, April 28, 2008

The Secretary General of the Andean Community, Freddy Ehlers, stated today that it is “imperative” for the CAN to continue Community actions to fight corruption, in order to make the most of domestic efforts to consolidate democratic governance in the Member Countries.

He made this statement during the special opening ceremony of the Second Meeting of the Andean Executive Committee for the Plan to Fight Corruption, held in Bogotá, Colombia.  The other participants in the ceremony included the Colombian Comptroller General, the Director of the Presidential Program on the Fight against Corruption and the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia.

Ehlers pointed out that cooperation and joint efforts will make it possible to improve the effectiveness and transparency of public administration, create synergetic relationships of integration and implement mechanisms for mutual support and the exchange of experiences, as well as boost the development of pertinent Member Country legislation.

He went on to announce that the General Secretariat will set an example by putting a Pilot Plan on Information Transparency and Access into effect at its website.  It will also back the efforts of Member Countries in this area by furthering a pilot program on transparency in local government.

The Executive Committee at its Second Meeting, which will be preceded today by a workshop on “Social Control and Account Rendition,” will examine the current status of the 2007-2008 Action Plan and the progress made in its implementation and will approve the Program for 2008 -2009, which will include priorities in the fight against corruption in whose attainment the Andean countries will cooperate.

An Activities Plan was approved at the First Meeting of the Andean Executive Committee for the Plan to Fight Corruption, held in September 2007, which provided for actions in the areas of citizen training, participation and social control, and transparency of public administration, measures targeting the media, strengthening of control bodies and international cooperation.