NEWS
Heads of anti-corruption
agencies in Africa seek repatriation of stolen assets from Europe and
US
Heads of Anti-Corruption Agencies have
requested Heads of Government in Europe, the United States and other
jurisdictions to work towards speedy and unfettered repatriation of recovered
assets to African countries.
This was contained in a communique issued at
the end of the 9th Commonwealth Regional Conference of Anti-Corruption Agencies
in Africa at the Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort & Spa in Kampala, Uganda.
The event took place between May 6 and 10,
2019 and was attended by most of the Heads of anti-graft agencies in Africa
with a theme titled: “Time to act: Prevent corruption for sustainable
development.”
President of the Republic of Uganda, Yoweri
Museveni declared the conference open on Monday, May 6, 2019 while the
Commonwealth Secretary General, Hon Patricia Scotland, spoke on remarkable
achievements of anti-graft Agencies in Africa.
The Acting Chairman of the EFCC and the
immediate Chairman of Association of Anti- Corruption Agencies in Commonwealth
Africa, Ibrahim Magu, spoke during the conference and highlighted major
achievements of the commission under his watch. Experts from different walks of
life further gave illuminating experiences and solutions on how to tackle the
menace of corruption.
The communique further urged Anti-Corruption
Agencies to emulate the EFCC and acquire polygraph technology as part of their
investigative and integrity testing process. The EFCC is the only agency in
Commonwealth Africa using the technology for corruption cases in courts. An
investigator with the commission had demonstrated the use of the Polygraph just
as other agencies made enquiries from the EFCC on how to acquire the technology
for positive development in anti-graft war.
The conference also expressed concerns over
the heavy losses that Africa suffers as a result of illegal transfers of
proceeds of corruption and crime out of Africa. It added that there was the
need to strengthen cooperation and collaboration among the Anti-Corruption
Agencies in Commonwealth Africa for purposes of facilitating asset recovery and
return.
The conference further acknowledged the
benefits of a platform for discussing emerging issues and sharing good
practices and country innovations in the fight against corruption. It noted
that delegates made presentations on the theme of the Conference, discussed
innovative measures employed by Anti-Corruption Agencies and explored other
aspects of the programme of the Conference.
The Conference urged Anti-Corruption Agencies
to pursue both preventive and enforcement measures in the fight against
corruption within the unique context of each country.
The communique further reads in part:
“CALL upon the Commonwealth Secretary General
and the Government of Rwanda to include Anti-Corruption as a side event of the
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) to be held in Rwanda in 2020;
“FURTHER CALL upon Commonwealth Heads of
Government Meeting (CHOGM) to include the issue of Anti-Corruption as part of
the communique for its meeting to be held in Rwanda in 2020;
“APPEAL to the Heads of Government in
Commonwealth Africa to consider ways of providing adequate resources to
Anti-Corruption Agencies;
“ENCOURAGE Commonwealth African countries to
pursue the enactment of legislation on civil asset forfeiture;
“CALL upon Anti-Corruption Agencies in
Commonwealth Africa to strengthen co-operation and partnership with local,
regional and international Civil Society and media;
“WELCOME the initiatives of the Commonwealth
Secretariat to establish Commonwealth benchmarks package on Anti-Corruption and
integrity standards;
“ENCOURAGE Anti-Corruption Agencies to convey
to their respective governments the importance of having Integrity Officers
within government ministries, departments and agencies;
“FURTHER ENCOURAGE Anti-Corruption Agencies
to consider the Multi-Agency Team approach in the implementation of
Anti-Corruption strategies;
“URGE the Commonwealth Secretariat through
the Commonwealth Africa Anti-Corruption Centre in Botswana to develop a
training calendar based on the training needs of the Anti-Corruption Agencies;
“CALL upon the Commonwealth Africa
Anti-Corruption Agencies to adopt a strategy of engagement with their political
elites based on their country context;
“FURTHER CALL upon Heads of Government and
Commonwealth Africa Anti-Corruption Agencies to engage and empower the citizens
to demand transparency, accountability and effective service delivery;
“REQUEST Heads of Government in Europe,
America and other jurisdictions to work towards speedy and unfettered
repatriation of recovered assets to African countries;
“EXPRESS appreciation to the President of the
Republic of Uganda and the Inspectorate of Government for the hospitality
extended to the delegates during their stay in Uganda;
“FURTHER EXPRESS profound appreciation to the
Commonwealth Secretariat for the continued efforts in supporting the
Association of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Commonwealth Africa and
co-sponsoring and co-organizing the ninth conference in succession;
“AGREE that the next Regional Conference of
Heads of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Commonwealth Africa in 2020 will be hosted
by Rwanda in partnership with the Commonwealth Secretariat;
“ELECT Uganda (Inspector General of
Government) as the Chair and Rwanda (Chief Ombudsman) as the Vice-Chair of the
Association of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Commonwealth Africa.”
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