Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) Chairperson retired Justice Neil Iddawala, met with World Bank (WB) officials at the United Nations (UN) Secretariat in Vienna, Austria. 

The discussions focused on the effective implementation of the Proceeds of Crime Act, No. 5 of 2025, a piece of legislation providing for the tracing, freezing, confiscation, management, and disposal of proceeds of crime, including corruption. The WB expressed its willingness to explore avenues of technical assistance to support the practical enforcement of the Act’s provisions. 

Looking ahead, the CIABOC and the WB discussed possible areas of cooperation, including capacity building for investigators and prosecutors, technical tools for asset tracing and management, guidance on electronic platforms, and a long-term partnership to institutionalise asset recovery mechanisms. The above meeting was held on the sidelines of the Second Resumed 16th Session of the Implementation Review Group of the UN Convention against Corruption.  

Sri Lanka has previously benefited from WB support through the Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative, including assistance in developing the legal framework on asset declarations, drafting terms of reference for the electronic assets declaration system, and technical assistance for the development of the Proceeds of Crime Policy.