Conflict of interest — the soft side of corruption

The intersection of the public and private sectors creates opportunities for bribery.but corruption does not always manifest itself as a financial crime. Conflicts of interest occur when private interests compromise official, public, or organizational interests. This workshop defined conflict of interest, and presented emerging issues in identifying and managing real and potential conflicts. The session addressed country-specific approaches to managing conflicts of interest, and showed that the relationship between conflict of interest and corruption is highly subjective issue. The perspectives of the private sector, and the legal and auditing professions were presented.