2025 in Asset Recovery: What to Expect and What We Hope For

As we step into 2025, the landscape of asset recovery is at a critical juncture. With heightened global attention on corruption and financial crime, there is a growing call for more robust mechanisms to recover stolen assets and ensure they benefit the communities from which they were taken. Here, we outline key expectations and aspirations for the field of asset recovery this year.

1. More Transparency

Transparency remains the cornerstone of effective asset recovery. In 2025, we hope to see:

  • Case Data Publication: More countries publishing comprehensive data on asset recovery cases, including amounts recovered and their ultimate use.
  • Bilateral Agreements: Greater disclosure of bilateral agreements for asset repatriation, fostering trust and accountability in both the returning and origin jurisdictions.
  • Ongoing updates of information to the StAR Database: More information being provided by governments and civil society to the World Bank and UNODC’s Stolen Asset Recovery (StAR) Initiative Asset Recovery Watch database, providing stakeholders with accessible and detailed information on returns.

2. Increased Cases Returning Assets to Victims

The ultimate goal of asset recovery is justice for victims and ensuring returned assets address the harm caused by corruption. We hope for:

  • A higher number of cases successfully returning assets to their rightful owners.
  • Greater emphasis on the equitable distribution of recovered assets, ensuring they address the harm caused to affected communities.

3. Broader Civil Society Involvement

Civil society organizations (CSOs) play a pivotal role in making asset recovery processes fair and inclusive. In 2025, we expect to see:

  • More CSOs involved in ensuring victims’ voices are heard in decisions about asset return.
  • More cases of active CSO participation in the planning, disbursement, and monitoring of returned funds to prevent re-corruption and promote transparency.

4. Regional and international advances

Regional efforts to strengthen asset recovery frameworks have been gaining momentum and discussions at the international level continue to set the way forward. Notable developments we hope for in 2025 include:

  • Work by the African Union to further build on the Common African Position on Asset Recovery (CAPAR) to bolster regional cooperation and capacity.
  • More inclusion of civil society in regional asset recovery networks and in discussions at the regional and international levels.
  • Further discussions and a potential new CoSP resolution on asset recovery that advances the debate on transparency, cooperation, and victim-centered approaches.

5. Legislative and Institutional Reform for Asset Management and Social Reuse

Sustainable management and use of recovered assets are critical for ensuring long-term impact. In 2025, we are hopeful that we’ll see:

  • Legislative Reforms: Introduction of laws that establish clear guidelines for the management, allocation, and social reuse of recovered assets and that are aliged with global and regional standards.
  • Institutional Frameworks: Strengthened institutions, including those to oversee asset management, ensuring transparency and accountability and addressing overlapping mandates.
  • Social Reuse Initiatives: Increased focus on repurposing recovered assets to fund public services, community projects, and programs that directly benefit affected populations.

Final Thoughts

2025 is a year of promise for asset recovery. With advancements in transparency, regional collaboration, and the integration of human rights, there is hope for more impactful outcomes. However, realizing these aspirations will require sustained commitment from governments, international organizations, and civil society. By prioritizing justice for victims and fostering collaboration, the asset recovery community can make significant strides toward a fairer and more transparent global financial system.