Report on Symposium for Corruption Reduction

March 30, 2004 (Moscow, Russia):

Today ends a two-week marathon of anti-corruption meetings in Washington, D.C. and Moscow. This afternoon the Russian entrepreneurs participating in CCI's Symposium on Corruption Reduction converged on the Kremlin to deliver their recommendations on the world's experience in reducing corruption to President Putin's Chief Economic Advisor, Andrei Illarionov. Their offer: to help Putin's government get public corruption under control across Russia.

Coming from 39 Russian cities across 11 time zones, from Vologda in the northwest, to Vladivostok in the Far East, to Rostov-on-Don in the south and strangers until 14 days ago, the delegates had become a welded node of commitment and determination by the end of their D.C. experience. Their common denominator: as micro entrepreneurs they have survived Russia's harsh business environment, now have mature businesses, and are ready to take responsibility for the climate facing Russia's next generation of entrepreneurs. Seasoned and toughened, they are angry that Russia's business reality is rife with officials, administrators and bureaucrats on the take, and they don't consider themselves innocent in this two-way process. On March 28, on Russia's prime-time nationwide TV talk show and today inside the Kremlin, the entrepreneurs made their case for cleaning up both sides of the corruption coin--the officials as well as themselves when they offer bribes to expedite bureaucratic red tape.

CCI, having trained to date over 5,000 Russian entrepreneurs in management in U.S. companies, designed and implemented this first-ever, anti-corruption effort. Fifty-five meetings in embassies of countries with top records in corruption reduction; international agencies concentrating on corruption; U.S. Departments of Justice, Commerce, Treasury and State; American Bar Association; Small Business Association; a range of NGO watchdog organizations and legal specialists provided the latest information on international and domestic corruption reduction technologies. The net result was a 360-degree review of the world's best practices geared to what is relevant and adaptable to Russia's specific environment.

Russia's grassroots entrepreneurs, arguably among the best educated in the world, soaked up concepts in the U.S. that seemed, unexpectedly to them, to be adaptable to Russia's reality. Common sense practices and laws that work in other diverse cultures, some ridden by corruption for centuries, gave heart to the entrepreneurs that Russia's corruption can be tackled.

The final meeting in the Kremlin today was the most critical. At 11 a.m. the group left the huge Rossiya Hotel and began the trek to the Kremlin across centuries-old cobblestones. The day was gorgeous. Gold domes sparkled in the sun. Photos outside the Spassky Gate were taken as the delegates, who never imagined being inside Kremlin offices, documented this rare happening. Security forces checked passports and acted casually and friendly. After a quick check of bags, we were ushered inside and down a long, wide corridor flanked by scores of paintings by Russian citizens. The subject matter appeared to be everyday Russian life with its hardships and joys. This delegation was received in the same Kremlin reception hall as CCI's 2001 meeting. The group sat around a central table in which Andrei Illarionov, seated in the middle, was no more than two or three rows from any of the entrepreneurs.

Illarionov opened the meeting with a quick segue to what the unofficial delegation had learned about the world's experience in corruption reduction while in the U.S. He took notes as one delegate after another provided points learned from the embassy ambassadors, economic ministers and other VIPs in D.C. Following two hours of frank outpouring from the delegates, Illarionov responded to their proposals and answered tough questions posed during their presentations--questions regarding public servants' disclosure of assets, and whether he would agree to publicly disclose all of his assets. It was clear from Illarionov's comments that he took the entrepreneurs and their mission seriously. He assured them that he would discuss their specific points with President Putin and encouraged them to redouble their efforts from the bottom up while Putin, he and others push from the top down to build transparency and significantly reduce the corrupt environment in which Russia's entrepreneurs have to build their businesses. He convinced the delegation that Putin views this topic of corruption as a number one priority, saying that it is intricately tied to Russia's future economic growth and stability and repeated the mandate of President Putin to double Russia's GDP within the next decade. At the end, one of the group presented a formal copy of the 35 "Recommendations to the President" in an impressive leather portfolio with a bronze plate inscribed, To President V. Putin from Russia's Regional Entrepreneurs.

The delegates are going back to their regions as confident educators armed with the world's experience dominating their thinking. "Recommendations to the President" will be published in regional newspapers and discussed in press conferences. A new website, www.corruption.ru, will be working by mid April, and Focus Groups will be held April 15 and May 15 with summaries sent to CCI St. Petersburg to be distilled for future action. June 11-13 the delegation will meet again to Moscow for additional interviews with VIPs, a second press conference, and hopefully a second nationwide TV show.

This non-traditional, first-ever, two-week effort far exceeded the expectations of the Russian delegates and CCI's organizers. Now to keep the momentum up and the pressure building! Wish us well!

Warm regards to you from an unseasonably windy and cold St.Petersburg,

Sharon Tennison
President