05 Aug 2013

The establishment of the Commonwealth Africa Anti-Corruption Centre (CAACC) with active involvement of member countries is a sign that Africa and the wider Commonwealth are committed to rooting out corruption.

The Commonwealth Secretariat governance advisor, Dr Roger Koranteng told a media conference last Friday that the CAACC was a flagship project expected to provide a visible and tangible demonstration of Commonwealth Secretariat’s commitment to support its efforts, with the potential for replication across the Commonwealth.

Dr Koranteng added that the centre also demonstrated that it had the potential to grow beyond Africa because the Commonwealth family had much to learn and share with each other.

He also indicated that the centre, located in Botswana, had since its launch, attracted and received enquiries and interests of collaboration from international development partners and stakeholder organisations.

To achieve effective collaboration, he said a one-day development partners and stakeholders’ conference was planned for this month in Gaborone to provide opportunity for international development partners and other stakeholders to discuss their collaboration with the centre.

Dr Koranteng said such collaboration presented a vast scope for local and international institutions to complement the centre’s resources in assisting member countries in their effort to reduce corruption.

He indicated that the centre’s strength in part, was that the association of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Commonwealth countries in the continent was a forum of heads of such agencies.

He explained that the forum operations and shared initiatives coordinated by the centre, took place with direct involvement and interest of associated Anti-Corruption Agencies headship.

Meanwhile, the centre is also expected to provide training, research and other anti-corruption initiatives for all Commonwealth African countries, in areas among them, investigations, public education and prevention, prosecution, professional ethics.

The centre will also coordinate solidarity initiatives among association members in support of those facing hostile political and media campaigns.

Further, the centre was designed essentially to become the prime vehicle for improving coordination and strengthening the capacity of Anti-Corruption agencies in Commonwealth Africa. ENDS