This building, donated by the Austrian government, will house the new INTERPOL Anti-Corruption Academy.

-Photo courtesy of Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior- INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble and Austrian Federal Minister of the Interior Günther Platter sign the headquarters agreement establishing the world's first anti-corruption academy in Vienna.

'In the age of globalisation, economic, political and social integration has to be accompanied by strengthening state institutions, by good governance and by enforcing the rule of law,' said Austrian Federal Minister of the Interior Günther Platter.

'Corruption is one of the phenomena which undermines such achievements and which can be tackled effectively only by enhancing close trans- and international co-operation. International networks, thus, are not only necessary for strengthening contacts, but also for bringing as many countries as possible closer to international anti-corruption standards.

'Today’s signing of the headquarters agreement creates the legal basis for the establishment of the INTERPOL Anti-Corruption Academy in Austria and represents the conclusion, so far, of the successful negotiations between Austria and INTERPOL,' added Minister Platter.

'The conclusion of this headquarters agreement less than one year after the INTERPOL General Assembly passed the resolution calling for the creation of an anti-corruption academy demonstrates the strong commitment both parties have shown to making this academy a reality as soon as possible,' said INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble.

'INTERPOL and its 186 member countries are fortunate to be finalising this agreement with Austria, a country that has great experience in hosting major international organizations like the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, with which INTERPOL expects to strengthen its relationship by the opening of its Anti-Corruption Academy in Vienna. We are honoured that Antonio Maria Costa, the Executive Director of UNODC, is with us today.

'Three critical elements have needed to be satisfied for this academy to become a reality: the legal foundation, which we are finalising today; the renovation of the designated facility into a state-of-the-art educational institution, which should be completed by 2009; and the 15-million-euro fundraising effort, which is currently underway.'

The agreement, signed by Minister Platter and Secretary General Noble, outlines the immunities and privileges Austria will grant to INTERPOL, its officials working at the academy and the police officials and others from around the world who will attend classes or lecture at the academy, which is to begin operations in 2008 and open officially in 2009.

The academy will provide high-level academic education and research to police and anti-corruption professionals from around the world in such areas as asset tracing and recovery, money laundering, development aid investigation and oversight, forensic accounting and ethics.

'Corruption undermines everything the law enforcement community works towards. It impoverishes whole communities, and threatens the safety and security of the many for the benefit of a very few,' said Mr Noble.

'The most effective way to eradicate it is to bring together global law enforcement, scholars and students in one place to learn from one another, exchange ideas and come up with workable solutions through continuous education, training and research.

'INTERPOL also wishes to recognise the extraordinary professional and personal commitment that Austria’s late Federal Minister of the Interior Liese Prokop devoted to making this dream for Austria and INTERPOL a reality. Her spirit is with us today, and her dream for Austria and for the world to work together to educate and train people how to better prevent and fight corruption is one step closer to being realised.'