Anti-corruption centre set up days after launch of world church campaign

An Anti-Corruption Centre has been launched to help achieve all the Millennium Development Goals - just days after the launch of a new world church campaign to help the poor.

At the launch of the Anti-Corruption Centre in Qatar on Sunday, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said corruption caused poor and vulnerable people to be denied education and hindered attempts to reduce poverty.

It came just days after Micah Challenge, a global Christian movement set up to hold governments to account to achieve the MDGs by 2015, launched their campaign EXPOSED.

EXPOSED is a worldwide coalition of Christians who aim to 'shine a light' on corruption that causes poverty, between now and October 2013.

Joel Edwards, Director of Micah Challenge, welcomed the setting up of the UN Anti-Corruption Centre.

He said: "This is incredible news. We are delighted that there is a momentum to ensure that these promises to halve extreme poverty are met. Our job at EXPOSED is to provide a forum in which 100 million Christians will remind ourselves and the world of God's passion for the poor."

"We are also excited about the growing interest from a wide range of churches and organisations who are passionate about this issue. EXPOSED is not about aggressive protest for its own sake. We want to shine a light in order to bring hope and redemption and we hope to bring examples of good practise as well as offer robust challenges to institutions which oppress the poor."

Ban Ki-moon, who drummed up support for the new centre, said the UN welcomed increased number of activities being initiated by governments and private organisations across the globe to fight corruption.

Ban Ki-moon described the centre in Qatar as a "step forward in a collective journey of implementing the UN's effort against corruption".

He added: "The launching of this centre is coming at a time when people in the Arab world are rising and fighting against corruption. And as billions of ordinary people are saying no to corruption, the international communities must listen...all must heed their cry.

"...the fight against corruption requires more urgency now than before to promote human rights and ensure all the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are achieved".

The 'Anti-Corruption Centre' also included a new 'Rule of Law Centre' in partnership with the United Nations.