24 February 2017 - In order to accelerate the implementation of
United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) and support the achievement of the
2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, in particularly Goal 16, a regional workshop was held in Nairobi from 13 to 17 February 2017, bringing together representatives from government and civil society organisations in East Africa. The platform was organized by UNODC with support of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom.
The five-day event focused on four thematic areas, namely: whistle-blower protection, financial investigations, international cooperation and public procurement. These areas had been identified on the basis of an analysis of recommendations from the first cycle UNCAC reviews and ongoing technical assistance requests emanating from the region.
Concrete and practical actions were discussed and agreed among civil society organizations, technical experts and heads of anti-corruption agencies - in particular members of the East African Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities ( EAAACA) from eight countries: Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. The implementation of the recommendations would aim in particular at strengthening reporting systems and whistle-blowers protection, put in place effective investigation training solutions in the area of financial investigation, reinforcing international cooperation and mutual legal assistance, and strengthening the capacity to investigate and prosecute procurement corruption.
Policy makers agreed to take forward the recommendations, together with the civil society organizations, as a matter of priority in order to fast-track implementation of UNCAC, particularly with regard to measures that would require little or no additional resources. Such measures would seek to leverage existing networks and peer-to-peer learning and sharing of experiences and good practices. UNODC and development partners present agreed to seek to mobilize resources to support the implementation of this action plan. All participants also re-affirmed their commitment to implement the recommendations emanating from its UNCAC implementation review group reports.
The UN Convention against Corruption is the only legally binding, universal, anti-corruption instrument, and its Article 13 calls on society, including non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations and civil society, to actively participate in combating corruption. To date, 286 civil society organizations have been trained worldwide under the UNODC Civil Society Programme with the aim of providing the necessary tools to work with governments and the private sector on implementing the Convention.
"As EAAACA representative and head of anti-corruption authority, we would like to tell you that we will take seriously all the recommendations under commitment that we have discussed. Not because we have to implement those recommendations but because it is part of our mandate and if we are not doing it we are not fulfilling our mandate. These commitments are a roadmap for us that will help us to implement the UNCAC" said Hon. Johnny Ayik Saviero, Head of the South Sudan Anti-corruption Commission. "Corruption is still a big problem in the region and the only possible way of fighting corruption and I believe it strongly is when the civil society, the anti-corruption authorities and the private sector, especially the business centre they come and work together as real partners", he added.
The workshop, which was similar in its form to the regional initiative held in Bangkok, forms part of UNODC's wider work in supporting Member States in the implementation of the UNCAC and its review mechanism, as well as in promoting the active participation of civil society in the prevention of and the fight against corruption, as recognized in Article 13 of the UNCAC.
"Civil society organisations are the link between the policy makers and the people and necessary to fight corruption", Charity Kumujjurizi, Africa Freedom of Information Center, Uganda.
United Nations Convention Against Corruption
2030 Sustainable Development Agenda
UNODC Anti-corruption activities with Civil Society Organizations
