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Countering Kleptocracy through Open Government and Democratic Oversight

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Kleptocracy, or “rule by thieves,” is a form of corruption where state institutions serve regime elites to exploit citizens. This harms the source countries where resources are stolen, weakening democratic norms and economic development in host countries. Kleptocrats often stash their ill-gotten gains in countries with strong rule-of-law institutions, causing various issues such as political interference, money laundering, and public safety risks.

The National Democratic Institute and Open Government Partnership (OGP) have produced two reports that analyze the anti-kleptocracy measures that can be taken in the host countries where ill-gotten gains are stashed, spent, or invested. OGP member countries, and local and regional governments in host countries, can use these reports to develop action plan commitments that address and deter transnational kleptocratic activities that serve to erode democratic governance.

  • Committing to Combat Kleptocracy: A Guide for OGP Members: This report, written by Jodi Vittori, defines how kleptocratic wealth can undermine democratic governance in host countries. It then provides actionable policy recommendations for model OGP commitments that host countries can adopt to mitigate the harms these kleptocracies can do to their governance, economies, and national security. View the full report here.
  • Local and Regional Measures to Combat Kleptocracy: This report by Sasha Caldera highlights several interventions that local and regional governments can adopt to fight transnational kleptocracy, specifically focusing on illicit financial transactions. View the full report here.

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Comments (1)

Mohammed Mominul Haque Reply

Call urgent measures against the Bangladeshi illicit assets owners/kleptocrats and organized financial crime in Canada and other countries
Like many other autocratic regimes in the world, the authoritarian government of Bangladesh has been running the government without the people’s vote for the last 15 years. The government has made some of its perpetrators run this illegitimate government and retain power by mass bribery and corruption.
Actually I have collected some information from personal sources in Canada and Bangladesh as well from the media. In Canada and other western never published about the Bangladesh financial crimes, few cases were published in Bangladesh media. In Bangladesh Media freedom and freedom of speech is very low, that’s’ why to bring international attention and real investigation, we need news to be publish in the Canada and other democratic country, because Bangladesh people have feeling that CANADA AND OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES ARE SAFE HAVEN FOR THE BANGLADESH AUTHORITARIAN REGIME PERPETRATORS.
The kleptocrats and bank defaulters have created a nexus of crimes here in Canada as same as in the Bangladesh, now Bangladesh community has been seeing surprisingly new millionaires in the society, this type of organized crime is a huge threat to the Canadian social and economic sector. Nor only that in the Bangladesh society “Canada’s image went down by those organized criminals. People of Bangladesh have been asking how Canadian authorities tolerate this corruption and financial crimes.
So I kindly request that you please verify the information and you may collect more information from the Land Registration offices of the Government of Canada. In addition, in certain areas of Greater Toronto Area, Saskatoon, and Montreal, Bangladeshi money launderers have bought huge houses and bought houses anonymously. We have learned that some people working with money exchanges, real estate sales agents, real estate brokerage and real estate companies were involved in buying those properties. Everything was done (financial crime) by an organized group. Only a proper investigation will bring out the truth.( I will help to identify those people undercover).
In general, the people who smuggled money from Bangladesh are closely associated with the present dictatorial government and they have become the owners of these illegal assets through various kinds of irregularities and corruption. In Canada, they have bought businesses and homes anonymously. If you would kindly write to the Land Registration or Home Registration Authority and get in touch with the Canadian FinTrack, I think you will be able to collect more information about many more money launders.
To hold accountable the authoritarian and corrupt regime of Bangladesh initiate urgent measures to fully implementation of OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, 1997-2021, the Global Fragility Act-2019, U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and the ENABLERS Act, 2022, United Nations Convention against Corruption, 2003 (UNCAC), UK’s Bribery Act 2010, EU Anti-corruption Framework, 2022 and (Article 67, 83 & 325 of TFEU), Canada Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act, 1998, Bill S-14; as well implementation of the 10th Session of the Conference of the States Parties (CoSP10) to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in Atlanta, USA to freeze and recover poor stolen assets from the Bangladesh authoritarian regime kleptocrats soon.
At present it is necessary that the Canadian Government, and other democratic Governments needs to take urgent special measures against the Bangladesh autocratic regime perpetrators, launch a special investigation, bring the perpetrators to justice and freeze and recover the poor people’s stolen assets from the illicit assets owners.
Therefore, in this case, we hope that you would kindly take special measures to publish a story on this matter, to recover stolen poor people’s assets and bring the perpetrator of the authoritarian regime to justice. The image of Canada in Bangladesh that has been tarnished which needs to be restored, and the irregularities of the perpetrators of the Bangladesh autocratic regime with illicit wealth will be exposed in Canada and other parts of the world also able to recover the public assets.

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