Deputy Inspector General Trần Ngọc Liêm speaks at  the 10th regional conference on preventing and combatting corruption in infrastructure projects in Asia-Pacific that took place in Hà Nội yesterday. — Photo thanhtra.com.vn

HÀ NỘI — The enormous demand for infrastructure investment across Asia-Pacific had led to greater risks of corruption, Deputy Inspector General Trần Ngọc Liêm said yesterday.

He made the remarks in the opening speech of the 10th regional conference on preventing and combatting corruption in infrastructure projects in Asia-Pacific that took place in Hà Nội. The four-day conference has been jointly organised by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government Inspectorate of Việt Nam.

Liêm said that building and developing infrastructure was deemed the backbone of economic growth, laying the foundations for the Government to provide basic public services for the people.

“Investment demand for infrastructure in many countries in Asia-Pacific through large-scale projects has shot up dramatically in recent years, but it also brings with it greater risks of corruption,” he said.

“It is a big challenge that many Asia-Pacific countries and nations around the world are dealing with.”

Diana Torres, Project Manager, Transparency and Accountability at UNDP in Asia and the Pacific, said that estimations from the Global Infrastructure Hub (GIH) expected as much as US$97 trillion was required for global infrastructure investment by 2040, but there was a shortfall of about $18 trillion.

The thirst for infrastructure funding would even be exacerbated as up to 30 per cent of the resources for infrastructure was going to be lost through mismanagement, inefficiency and on corruption, said Torres.

“Poor governance, lack of transparency and corruption can undermine any efforts (for quality infrastructure development) due to weak human resources, increased operational costs and the selection of unqualified contractors,” she said.

VCCI Chairman Vũ Tiến Lộc said the conference would offer the country ideas to prevent and combat corruption, especially in the relationship between the Government and the business community.

“Integrity is the heart of the business community. Integrity means doing business in a fair and square manner, or in other words, abiding by general principles, “ Lộc told the conference.

He also said the business community had to be fully aware of the role of integrity while working with the Government in order to eliminate the so-called culture of greasing the wheels. — VNS