UNCTAD leads global efforts to measure illicit financial flows jointly with UNODC

UNCTAD supports member States to strengthen their statistical capacity to define, measure and disseminate statistics on IFFs as a custodian of SDG indicator 16.4.1 on IFFs with UNODC. This work contributes to SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions) and its target 16.4 “by 2030, significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets and combat all forms of organized crime”. The global role was assigned to UNCTAD and UNODC by the General Assembly (United Nations, 2017), as part of the approval of the SDG indicator framework in 2017 (UNCTAD, 2021d). UNCTAD’s mandate is to develop statistical concepts and methodologies for global use in reporting on SDG 16.4.1 and build countries’ capacity to monitor trade and tax-related IFFs, while UNODC focuses on crime-related IFFs. This chapter mainly focuses on UNCTAD’s work with member States to measure tax and trade-related IFFs. This work supports countries in developing their data infrastructure for the monitoring of progress towards the 2030 Agenda and towards meeting the commitments of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (United Nations, 2015).

Sustainable Development Goals:

Decent Work and Economic Growth

Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Partnerships for the Goals