Integrity Self Assessment diagnostic process - Review of the pilots 2008

As part of the NATO Partnership for Peace, EAPC Ambassadors approved in November 2007 a programme on ‘Building Integrity and Reducing Corruption Risk’. This Programme is being developed so as to contribute to defence institution building in NATO ally and Partner Nations. The programme is aimed at the development of three key elements: • A Training Module, An Integrity Self-Assessment Process, A Compendium of Best Practice.1.1. Development of the questionnaire 1.1.1. In early 2008, a Working Group led by Poland, working with Transparency International’s defence team, developed the draft Integrity Self- Assessment Process. The development of the questionnaire was taken forward by a small ad hoc team led by Poland and Transparency International, with the participation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia, Norway, Ukraine, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia1, and the UK, as well as NATO International Staff and NATO School Oberammergau. The draft text has also been consulted with NC3, UNODC, OECD and DRMI (Monterey). The draft was released to nations in May 2008 to nations volunteering to take part in a trial project. The Self-Assessment Process has been developed quickly and with much enthusiasm from the Working Group. The trial assessments with the three volunteer nations have proved successful, with each nation expressing benefits gained from the process and committing to further engagement on the Self-Assessment Process together with the other elements of Building Integrity and Reducing Corruption Risk. The Assessment was also successful in highlighting key strengths and weaknesses of the defence integrity systems of each nation, and in providing an overview of how the various anti- corruption and building integrity elements fitted together. While Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ukraine, and Norway are very different nations with separate priorities and challenges, all three have defence establishments, which for varying reasons are providing leadership in the internal reform in their countries. Each confirmed that taking part in this process had resulted in practical benefits.