Tunisia – new ideas in public procurement
This article reminds us that it is good to see that the Council of Europe keeps working with governments to help them move forward in the correct direction. In this instance it is a conference to raise awareness of corruption risks throughout the procurement cycle and to provide insights and examples on how practical and technological tools can help mitigate these risks. These types of conferences remind us of the need to exchange information and to help governments move toward useful approaches. The conference included “[d]iscussions examined vulnerabilities in procurement processes and stressed the need to embed integrity safeguards at every stage. Sessions addressed the legal framework, the potential of e‑procurement systems, and innovative practices such as integrity pacts and centralised purchasing to strengthen transparency and accountability.”
Why should we care about this and what are the next steps. As mentioned earlier, it is extremely important to support donors as they assist governments move toward more effective approaches in such areas as public procurement. The ability to provide new ideas and concepts regarding innovative procurement ideas, with an emphasis on anti-corruption, are so valuable to government officials. Over the years I have heard from many government officials who are thrilled with new concepts as they make it so much easier to avoid corruption. The next steps after such conferences is to help with taking the concepts from a theoretical perspective to then be used in a more practical way. At the same time, monitoring, in these situations, is also very helpful, either from donors or from outside NGOs. Finally, it is always exciting to imagine a less corrupt public procurement process, using new and innovative ideas, which helps the officials be more efficient and effective.
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