Who We Are: In June 2021 the White House released the Memorandum on Establishing the Fight Against Corruption as a Core U.S. National Security Interest. In this memorandum, the Biden-Harris Administration elevated the fight against corruption as a core national security interest and directed the U.S. government to develop a comprehensive strategy to prevent and combat corruption at home and abroad. In December 2021, the United States released its first-ever Strategy on Countering Corruption .
In line with this strategy, Secretary Blinken created the Coordinator on Global Anti-Corruption position to coordinate the variety of tools the Department and U.S. government can leverage in the fight against corruption. On July 5, 2022, Secretary Blinken announced Richard Nephew as the Department of State’s first Coordinator on Global Anti-Corruption. Nephew served as deputy special envoy for Iran, Principal Deputy Coordinator for Sanctions Policy, and Director for Iran on the National Security Staff. He also served in the Department’s Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, as well as in the Office of Nonproliferation and International Security at the Department of Energy.
What We Do: The Coordinator and his team collaborates across the Department to develop and implement initiatives focused on countering corruption, such as executing the U.S. Strategy on Countering Corruption; mainstreaming anti-corruption into U.S. foreign policy and guidance; coordinating strategic approaches in individual countries and globally; facilitating information-sharing; and connecting with other agencies and external associates including foreign governments and civil society. The Coordinator also advises senior officials on decisions related to anti-corruption efforts and their integration with broader U.S. foreign policy.