ABSTRACT

This chapter analyzes the creation and the role of the Secretary of Transparency in anti-corruption policy in Colombia. We explore its coordination role as part of the anti-corruption strategies in the country during the last decade. To do so, we study administrative and official documents to identify the structure, capacity, and scope of action of the Colombian ACA and the policy design, and the political and organizational context in which it works. We rely on official documents, press reports, academic documents, and secondary information to explore the scope of the functions of the Secretary of Transparency and its role within the policy framework against corruption. Our analysis shows that although the creation of the ACA provides an optimist outlook for the coordination and articulation of Colombia’s anti-corruption policy, crucial challenges remain in terms of its political, organizational, and technical capacity to accomplish its mission effectively.