SE Asian countires share anti-corruption experiences

VIENTIANE -- The ninth annual South East Asia Parties Against Corruption (SEA-PAC) meeting is going on here Friday with parties sharing experience in fighting corruption in the region.

Around 200 participants including delegates from member countries and representatives from international organizations convened on Thursday for the two-day meeting.

The first day of the meeting saw Myanmar sign a memorandum of understanding to enter SEA-PAC, bringing the number of its member nations to 10.

Lao Deputy Prime Minister Asang Laoly said that the meeting was an important platform that gave participating nations the opportunity to share lessons learned and the best practices for use in combating corruption.

Participants are expected to discuss and explore stricter measures to prevent and fight corruption, state-run daily Vientiane Times reported Friday.

Laoly said corruption was a threat to the security of a nation that hinders development. The Lao government has attached great importance to combating corruption and had introduced a number of laws and regulations in order to stem corruption in the country, he said.

The Lao government has also improved the state administrative structure and the administrative structure of the Government Inspection Authority and Anti-Corruption Authorities in order that they might work more effectively, said Laoly, adding that Laos has been active in activities falling within the scope of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) including a 2011 review of corruption in Croatia.

In 2012, Laos itself was reviewed by Mongolia and Luxembourg. The government Inspection Authority and Anti-Corruption Authorities are working with relevant bodies to implement findings of the review.

Laoly congratulated Myanmar on becoming a member of SEA-PAC. Myanmar's Bureau of Special Investigation Director General Aung Saw Win, head of his country's delegation to the meeting, said that it was"a great honor and pride"to sign the memorandum of understanding on behalf of Myanmar.