Independent Anti-Corruption Commission of Bhutan: Challenges and Achievements

Introduction

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of Bhutan has submitted a report in response to the Convention on Combating Corruption’s questionnaire on Article 6, paragraph 2. This article requires state parties and signatories to ensure that anti-corruption bodies are independent and have sufficient resources to prevent corruption.

Independence and Appointment of Members

• The ACC is an independent constitutional body guaranteed by the Constitution of Bhutan.
• Commission members are appointed by the King for a fixed 5-year term from a list of nominations submitted jointly by the Prime Minister, Chief Justice, Speaker, Chairperson of the National Council, and Leader of the Opposition party.

Staff Stability and Capacity Development

• The ACC has a high turnover rate, with 17 staff separations in 2018 alone.
• Despite this, the Commission expects to achieve its projected staff strength of 152 by July 2020.
• The ACC receives support from development partners such as UNDP and UNODC for capacity building through short-term and long-term training programs.

Financial Resources

• The ACC receives full support from the Ministry of Finance for its budgets and from the Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC) for human resource management.
• However, this dependence exposes the ACC to potential political influence and conflict of interest situations.

Key Statistics

• Total staff strength: 119 (as of December 2019)
• Projected staff strength: 152
• Budget for FY 2019-2020: Nu. 142.03 million (approximately USD 2.02 million)

Conclusion

The report highlights the challenges faced by the ACC in maintaining its independence and building capacity to prevent corruption, particularly with the withdrawal of development partners’ support.