HONG KONG Trends and Developments Contributed by: Gareth Hughes, Emily Lam, Philip Rohlik and Tiffany Wu, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
Similarly, the EMSD is investigating potential for - gery related to the registration of Grade A elec - trical workers pursuant to the Electricity Ordi - nance. After uncovering that certain registrants may have acquired their registrations through improper means, the EMSD has voided their registrations because applicants must possess the requisite qualifications and documented work experience to be qualified as a Grade A electrical worker. In light of these developments, the EMSD has reinforced its vetting and approval procedures. This includes deploying officers to verify appli - cants’ work experience directly at the issuing organisation’s office. The construction industry has always been the private sector with the most corruption reports; therefore, combatting corruption within this industry will certainly remain among the ICAC’s top enforcement priorities in the future. Hong Kong International Academy Against Corruption The ICAC actively maintains close communica - tion with the local and international community to facilitate the establishment of anti-corruption training programmes, activities and collabora - tion platforms. As part of its ongoing anti-graft efforts, the ICAC set up the Hong Kong Interna - tional Academy Against Corruption (the “Acad - emy”) on 21 February 2024. The Academy’s mission is to offer systemat - ic, professional and ongoing training for graft fighters and agencies worldwide, as well as to educate the local public and private sectors. It is expected that they will undertake four main areas of work, namely:
• organising international anti-corruption train - ing courses for overseas anti-corruption personnel; • providing training programmes for govern - ment departments, public and private organi - sations and professional associations in Hong Kong; • offering accredited, systematic and stand - ardised professional training programmes for ICAC staff; and • establishing a research platform for anti- corruption practitioners and experts from the Mainland, Hong Kong and overseas to engage in academic exchanges and collabo - ration on anti-corruption. Being aware of the importance of international co-operation in combating corruption, the ICAC and the Academy and the International Asso - ciation of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA) would be expected to leverage their respective strengths – the ICAC’s abundant experience in anti-graft efforts for over five decades, the Acad - emy’s platform for exchanges and training, as well as the IAACA’s global graft-fighting network, in order to form a powerful tripartite partnership. A big part of the Academy’s focus will be to offer anti-corruption training courses for local and global graft fighters and to serve as an international research and exchange centre for anti-corruption experts. In February 2024, the Academy co-hosted an inaugural nine-day spe - cialist course entitled “Professional Develop - ment Programme on Financial Investigation and Asset Recovery” with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, which attracted graft fight - ers from over 20 jurisdictions, a record turnout for an ICAC course. Further, the Academy has signed memoranda with five esteemed universi - ties in Mainland China, Macao and Hong Kong to promote anti-corruption research and talent
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