[{"bbox": [96, 152, 1135, 313], "category": "Text", "text": "the Parliament, citing their alleged failure to complete the investigations of cases submitted. ACC members highlighted their challenging work environment prior to their resignation. The new ACC membership was officially sworn in by the President in March 2022, after a legal vacuum of more than 4 months. The Presidential Commission on Corruption and Asset Recovery (established in November 2018 and tasked with recupertating state assets lost between January 2012 to November 2018) was dissolved shortly after the new ACC members were sworn in, with their mandate taken up by relevant authorities."}, {"bbox": [96, 334, 1135, 519], "category": "Text", "text": "In 2014, the Maldives saw the biggest corruption scandal in its history, involving 281 individuals and misuse of public office through a state-owned enterprise, Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC). More recently, alleged corruption offences have also been reported on some procurement processes linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the resignation of the then Health Minister in 2020. Little progress has been made so far on these major corruption investigations. Corruption remains overall a structural detrimental factor to socio-economic development and justice delivery in the Maldives and affects the social contract between the State and its citizens."}, {"bbox": [96, 547, 1135, 708], "category": "Text", "text": "The justice and anti-corruption sector in the Maldives is very dynamic (especially since the 2019 elections), and there is a growing number of Cooperating Partners (US, UK, Australia, Japan, India, Germany (through Max Planck Foundation)...) providing support in these areas, hence the importance notably to improve donor coordination and ensure an efficient division of labour. UNDP has a longstanding presence and experience in the sector notably through its successive Integrated Governance Programmes – IGP (the third phase was launched in March 2022 with initial support from the UK and Australia)."}, {"bbox": [96, 733, 1135, 947], "category": "Text", "text": "The proposed Action focusing on the rule of law and anti-corruption comes under the 2nd priority of the Multiannual Indicative Programme (MIP) 2021-2027 for the Maldives⁷. It is in line with the overall EU Good Governance agenda (promoting EU core values and principles abroad⁸), EU development policy frameworks and strategies (including the EU Consensus⁹ and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development¹⁰) as well as EU geostrategic and economic interests in the region as enshrined in the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region¹¹. It is also consistent with the overall EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2021-2024¹² as well as the priorities outlined in the GAP III Country Level Implementation Plan (CLIP) and the new EU Human Rights and Democracy Country Strategy for Maldives for the same period."}, {"bbox": [85, 959, 340, 990], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.2 Problem Analysis"}, {"bbox": [96, 1006, 1135, 1086], "category": "Text", "text": "Short problem analysis: the proposed Action will focus on a limited number of interconnected problems which impede inclusive and efficient access to justice and the independent functioning of the judicial system, as well as on areas that constrain anti-corruption efforts in the Maldives."}, {"bbox": [96, 1111, 1135, 1299], "category": "Text", "text": "**Legal reforms and institutional strengthening:** Although some positive legal and institutional reforms have been recorded in recent years, there are still legislative, policy and procedural gaps that need to be addressed, including strengthening the independence and oversight of the judiciary as well as to improve court procedures and administration. Besides, the sector remains fragmented and lacks an overall strategic vision and planning (many institutions involved with limited coordination and systematic exchange of information). There is an overall shortage of skills and capacity across the justice sector, including for setting up and using data collection systems to track progress and performance."}, {"bbox": [85, 1403, 1143, 1453], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁷ Multi-annual Indicative Programme 2021-2027 for Maldives - https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2022-01/mip-2021-c2021-8994-maldives-annex_en.pdf."}, {"bbox": [85, 1453, 1051, 1477], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁸ See notably Commission strategic priorities 2019-2024: https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024_en."}, {"bbox": [85, 1477, 1143, 1525], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁹ EU Consensus on Development: https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/policies/european-development-policy/european-consensus-development_en."}, {"bbox": [85, 1525, 411, 1549], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹⁰ See: https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda."}, {"bbox": [85, 1549, 1143, 1597], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹¹ Council conclusions on the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, 16 April 2021: https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-7914-2021-INIT/en/pdf."}, {"bbox": [85, 1597, 1143, 1646], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹² EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2020-2024: https://www.eeas.europa.eu/sites/default/files/eu_action_plan_on_humanRights_andDemocracy_2020-2024.pdf."}, {"bbox": [1037, 1680, 1143, 1705], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 6 of 29"}]