02/10/2026
BTI’s Executive Director Dr. Rinzin Rinzin’s Address at the MOU Signing
Your Excellency the Chairperson and Hon’ble Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission of Bhutan,�Distinguished representatives of the ACC,�And colleagues from the Bhutan Transparency Initiative,�
Kuzuzangpo la!
It is a great honour for the Bhutan Transparency Initiative to join the Anti-Corruption Commission today in signing a new Memorandum of Understanding on Strengthening and Promoting Cooperation to Prevent Corruption.
For BTI, this is a particularly important occasion. This MoU is not simply an administrative agreement; it represents a shared commitment to building a stronger and more coordinated national effort against corruption.
Corruption is not only a legal or institutional issue. It undermines public trust, weakens institutions, affects the quality of public services, and threatens the values of democracy, fairness and the rule of law. Preventing it therefore cannot be the responsibility of the ACC alone. It requires the participation of government, civil society, the private sector, the media and, most importantly, citizens.
The ACC and BTI have different but highly complementary roles. The ACC has the statutory mandate to prevent, educate and investigate corruption, while BTI, as a civil society organisation, works to build what we describe as a “strong social fence against corruption” through advocacy, citizen engagement, social accountability, research and evidence-based interventions.
This MoU provides an important bridge between these complementary roles.
It creates a framework for us to work together while fully respecting the independence, mandates and responsibilities of both institutions.
Among its important areas of cooperation are undertaking research and diagnostic surveys, including the National Corruption Barometer Survey; strengthening public awareness and advocacy; sharing relevant information within the law; engaging civil society and other stakeholders; building institutional integrity; and strengthening access to the ACC's corruption-reporting mechanisms.
I believe the National Corruption Barometer Survey is particularly significant; in fact, we are about to conduct the 4th NCBS 2026 starting this month. Good anti-corruption policies require good evidence. By understanding citizens' experiences and perceptions of corruption, we can identify vulnerabilities, measure progress and develop more responsive interventions.
Equally important is our commitment to bringing citizens and civil society closer to the anti-corruption process. People must know their rights, understand how to report corruption, and have confidence that their concerns can reach the appropriate institutions.
At the same time, BTI recognises that an organisation promoting transparency and accountability must demonstrate these principles within its own institution. We are therefore committed to strengthening institutional integrity and good governance within BTI itself.
Ultimately, however, the value of this MoU will not be measured by today's signing ceremony, but by what we achieve together in the years ahead. We must translate these commitments into concrete programmes, stronger evidence, greater public awareness, meaningful citizen participation and stronger preventive mechanisms.
On behalf of BTI, I express our sincere appreciation to the Anti-Corruption Commission for continuing this partnership. We look forward to working closely with the ACC and other stakeholders to make this MoU a practical instrument for strengthening integrity and accountability in Bhutan.
Let today's signing mark the beginning of a stronger, more coordinated and sustained partnership against corruption—and a further step towards a Bhutan where integrity is valued, public institutions are trusted, and corruption has no place to take root.
Kadrinchey and Tashi Delek la!
