July 11, 2011
Monique Perry Danziger, +1 202 293 0740 ext. 222
New Government Initiative Will Focus on Promoting Transparency and Fighting Corruption
WASHINGTON, DC – Global Financial Integrity’s Director of Government Affairs and Legal Counsel, Heather Lowe, will participate in a high-level meeting of governments and civil society at the U.S. Department of State on Tuesday, July 12, at which U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota will launch the Open Government Partnership (OGP). The Open Government Partnership is a new, multilateral initiative that aims to secure concrete commitments from governments to promote transparency, empower citizens, fight corruption, and harness new technologies to strengthen governance.
“This is a critical time to fight corruption and secure multi-lateral commitments to improve transparency and promote good governance,” said Ms. Lowe. “Tuesday’s event will allow for dialogue and strategy formation before the formal launch of the initiative in September.”
Global Financial Integrity estimates that crime, corruption, trade mispricing and tax evasion cost developing countries approximately US$1.26 trillion in 2008, with average annual illicit outflows from developing countries averaging $725 billion to $810 billion, per year, over the 2000-2008 time period.
Click here to learn more about Ms. Lowe.
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Global Financial Integrity (GFI) is a Washington, DC-based research and advocacy organization which promotes transparency in the international financial system.
For additional information please visit www.gfip.org.