The United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) was adopted by the UN General Assembly in October 2003 through Resolution 58/4 and entered into force in December 2005. It is the only legally binding universal anti-corruption instrument. To date, 186 countries are States Parties to the Convention, including 20 Arab States. Lebanon acceded to UNCAC on 22 April 2009.

The Mechanism for the Review of Implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption was adopted in 2009. It is an intergovernmental peer-review process that operates in ten-year cycles, enabling States Parties to assess gaps in implementation, strengthen compliance with UNCAC provisions, and identify technical assistance needs.

Each cycle consists of two review sessions, each lasting five years:

• First Session: Reviews Chapter III (Criminalization and Law Enforcement) and Chapter IV (International Cooperation)
• Second Session: Reviews Chapter II (Preventive Measures) and Chapter V (Asset Recovery)

Each session is divided into four annual review rounds. In each round, a quarter of States Parties are reviewed.

The process is led by government-appointed experts. The reviewed State begins by completing a Self-Assessment Checklist, a comprehensive electronic tool developed by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to capture national compliance with UNCAC. Two reviewing States then analyze the submission and may conduct follow-up dialogue through written exchanges, national visits, or joint meetings at UNODC headquarters in Vienna.

The process results in a Country Review Report, prepared using a standardized methodology to ensure consistency across countries. The report is submitted to the Conference of the States Parties (CoSP), and the Executive Summary is published.