Today we are announcing Richard Nephew as our Coordinator on Global Anti-Corruption. This position, pledged on International Anti-Corruption Day, will integrate and elevate the fight against corruption across all aspects of U.S. diplomacy and foreign assistance. I welcome Richard back to the Department in this critical role and am confident that his experience and dedication to fight corruption and promote accountability will prove invaluable to our global efforts.
Creating and filling this position demonstrates the importance the United States places on anti-corruption as a core national security interest and reiterates the central role global partnerships play in this fight. Richard and his team will strengthen U.S. government alignment on anti-corruption issues and work closely with international partners to advance U.S. anti-corruption policy. Part of this effort includes leading the State Department’s implementation of the first-ever U.S. Strategy on Countering Corruption, and advancing efforts through the Summit for Democracy, as we bring all our resources to advance the Administration’s anti-corruption and broader democratic renewal agenda.
Richard brings a wealth of experience both inside and outside the government to the position of Coordinator on Global Anti-Corruption. He is returning to the Department from Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy, where he was a Senior Research Scholar. Prior to his tenure at Columbia, Richard served most recently as deputy special envoy for Iran, Principal Deputy Coordinator for Sanctions Policy at the State Department, and Director for Iran on the National Security Staff.
I welcome Richard and look forward to his and his team’s work on this critical issue.
