REGIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION AUTHORITIES REFLECT ON THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION
The Eastern Africa Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (EAAACA) held its 18th Executive Committee (EXCOM) Meeting on the 19th of November, 2018 and the 12th Annual General Meeting from 21st to 22nd November, 2018 at the Kigali Marriott Hotel in Rwanda. The meeting bore the theme “Winning the Fight against Corruption in Eastern Africa: Lessons and Challenges” and was hosted by the Office of the Ombudsman of Rwanda.
The Meeting was attended by EAAACA members from Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Rwanda, Tanzania, Djibouti and Uganda. In attendance were also representatives from the African Union Advisory Board on Corruption (AUABC), the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Camden Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network (CARIN) and the World Bank’s Stolen Assets Recovery (StAR) Intitiative.
The AGM was officially opened by Honorable Judith Uwizeye, Minister in The Office of The President of the Republic of Rwanda. In her speech, Hon. Uwizeye said that they recognize efforts by each EAAACA Member State in fighting corruption, for instance, through the use of electronic systems which reduce interactions that create opportunities for corruption.
She further stated that, despite commitment by African countries in the fight against corruption, much needs to be done in order to successfully free Africa from corruption, adding that there was need for countries to agree on national and cross-border initiatives and conventions in order to win the fight.
While making his remarks during the AGM’s opening ceremony, the EAAACA President Mr. Ayeligne Mulualem, who is also the Commissioner of the Federal Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (FEACC) of Ethiopia, said that one of the challenges in Eastern Africa is the problem of poverty and displacement, which leads to the need and desire for migration, particularly to Western countries. He cited corruption as a major reason for this problem, adding that corruption deprives the citizenry of opportunities for growth as well as basic services and facilities that they are entitled to.
Mr. Mulualem also said that growth is an integral part of any institution’s goal and it is his vision that the Eastern Africa Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities will keep growing from strength to strength and eventually become a formidable force in the fight against graft and illicit financial flows.
The EAAACA President urged individual countries to take responsibility to promote the Association which he said is ready and committed to fighting corruption.
The Executive Committee recommended some resolutions that were passed by the Annual General Meeting as outlined in the Communiqué of the 12th Annual General Meeting of the Eastern Africa Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities held at the Kigali Marriott Hotel in Rwanda from 21st to 22nd November, 2018.
On the 20th of November, 2018, the Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network for Eastern Africa (ARIN-EA), an EAAACA offshoot, held its 4th AGM at the same venue, bringing together Focal Persons of the informal asset recovery network from EAAACA member countries. The opening ceremony was officiated by the EAAACA President Mr. Ayeligne Mulualem. ARIN-EA Focal Persons also underwent training on asset recovery with facilitators from the World Bank’s StAR Initiative, UNODC and CARIN.
