ICAC Commissioner Woo Ying-ming to take over as President of IAACA
2023-8-31
ICAC Commissioner Woo Ying-ming will take over as President of the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA) tomorrow (September 1) to lead the IAACA to connect anti-corruption agencies (ACAs) around the globe for greater synergy in the fight against corruption.
Mr Woo thanked the Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government for supporting his assumption of the presidency as well as the ICAC’s participation in the international anti-corruption cause. Noting that he was well-prepared for the new role, Mr Woo said through in-depth exchanges with members and Executive Committee members of IAACA in the past year, he had gained their full trust and support for taking up the IAACA presidency.
“I feel honoured for being able to contribute to the work of IAACA on behalf of the ICAC. I will lead IAACA members to implement various initiatives and chart a clear way forward for the development of the Association, with a view to helping ACAs around the world to prevent and combat corruption,” said Mr Woo.
Mr Woo remarked that he would lead IAACA to effectively implement the goals of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) through three strategic priorities. First and foremost was to enhance experience sharing among ACAs. Leveraging the expertise and network of IAACA, the ICAC and other ACAs, the Association will organise anti-corruption conferences and workshops, covering subjects such as asset recovery, financial investigations, computer forensics, technology applications as well as raising anti-corruption awareness of private organisations, etc., to provide more opportunities for graft fighters worldwide to share their experience.
Secondly, IAACA will expand networking with international and regional anti-graft organisations, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities, Asian Development Bank and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Anti-Corruption Initiative for Asia Pacific, etc. The Association will contribute to international anti-corruption work through collaboration in training programmes and thematic projects.
Moreover, the IAACA will make good use of online platforms to connect graft fighters worldwide. The IAACA official Facebook page, which has been launched today, will feature interviews with global anti-corruption leaders and sharing of knowledge and skills in different aspects of anti-graft work in order to consolidate the exchange of information.
Mr Woo noted that to mark the 50th Anniversary of ICAC next year, international liaison activities of different scales were in the pipeline. Among them is the 8th ICAC Symposium to be co-hosted by the ICAC and IAACA in Hong Kong in May next year, which will strengthen engagement of and exchanges among IAACA members.
Mr Woo expressed his gratitude to Mr Simon Peh Yun-lu for serving as the ICAC Special Adviser in the past year and facilitating the transitional arrangement and handover work of the IAACA presidency.
The IAACA was founded in 2006 as the first global institution for ACAs worldwide, aiming to promote the effective implementation of UNCAC and fostering international anti-corruption collaboration. Over 160 ACAs, including those major ACAs around the world, have participated as IAACA members or engaged in various IAACA initiatives.
On August 23, 2023, the IAACA Executive Committee Meeting endorsed the appointment of Mr Woo as IAACA President starting from September 1, 2023. The appointment of the 3-year presidency until the end of 2026
will be endorsed by the Association’s General Meeting to be held end of this year.
Mr Woo thanked the Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government for supporting his assumption of the presidency as well as the ICAC’s participation in the international anti-corruption cause. Noting that he was well-prepared for the new role, Mr Woo said through in-depth exchanges with members and Executive Committee members of IAACA in the past year, he had gained their full trust and support for taking up the IAACA presidency.
“I feel honoured for being able to contribute to the work of IAACA on behalf of the ICAC. I will lead IAACA members to implement various initiatives and chart a clear way forward for the development of the Association, with a view to helping ACAs around the world to prevent and combat corruption,” said Mr Woo.
Mr Woo remarked that he would lead IAACA to effectively implement the goals of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) through three strategic priorities. First and foremost was to enhance experience sharing among ACAs. Leveraging the expertise and network of IAACA, the ICAC and other ACAs, the Association will organise anti-corruption conferences and workshops, covering subjects such as asset recovery, financial investigations, computer forensics, technology applications as well as raising anti-corruption awareness of private organisations, etc., to provide more opportunities for graft fighters worldwide to share their experience.
Secondly, IAACA will expand networking with international and regional anti-graft organisations, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities, Asian Development Bank and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Anti-Corruption Initiative for Asia Pacific, etc. The Association will contribute to international anti-corruption work through collaboration in training programmes and thematic projects.
Moreover, the IAACA will make good use of online platforms to connect graft fighters worldwide. The IAACA official Facebook page, which has been launched today, will feature interviews with global anti-corruption leaders and sharing of knowledge and skills in different aspects of anti-graft work in order to consolidate the exchange of information.
Mr Woo noted that to mark the 50th Anniversary of ICAC next year, international liaison activities of different scales were in the pipeline. Among them is the 8th ICAC Symposium to be co-hosted by the ICAC and IAACA in Hong Kong in May next year, which will strengthen engagement of and exchanges among IAACA members.
Mr Woo expressed his gratitude to Mr Simon Peh Yun-lu for serving as the ICAC Special Adviser in the past year and facilitating the transitional arrangement and handover work of the IAACA presidency.
The IAACA was founded in 2006 as the first global institution for ACAs worldwide, aiming to promote the effective implementation of UNCAC and fostering international anti-corruption collaboration. Over 160 ACAs, including those major ACAs around the world, have participated as IAACA members or engaged in various IAACA initiatives.
On August 23, 2023, the IAACA Executive Committee Meeting endorsed the appointment of Mr Woo as IAACA President starting from September 1, 2023. The appointment of the 3-year presidency until the end of 2026
will be endorsed by the Association’s General Meeting to be held end of this year.
