CONFERENCE THEME

The African Union adopted the Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption in Africa on 1st July, 2003 in Maputo, Mozambique. The Convention entered into force on 5th August, 2006 and has been ratified by 38th Member States (as at 2017). However, the implementation of the Convention, like many others instruments remains a challenge.

The African Union declared 2018 as the African Anti–Corruption Year, with theme is “Winning the Fight against Corruption: A Sustainable Path to Africa’s Transformation” estimating that 25 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of African countries is lost to corruption annually with 5 percent of these resources lost through illegitimate financial flows. 65% of the outflows are drawn from commercial activity by multinationals and 30% from criminal activities. In addition, the High–Level Panel Report on Illicit financial flows estimated that Africa is losing more than $50 billion every year as governments and multinational companies engage in criminal activities aimed at avoiding tax payments, hindering development projects and denying poor people access to essential services. Dealing with corruption and cutting illegal financial flows will result in Africa retaining capital made on the continent and use those resources to finance the continent’s development agenda as represented in the African Union’s Agenda 2063 as well as the Sustainable Development Goals.

Corruption is a complex phenomenon that is rooted in a range of political, economic and social power relations. Corruption is therefore not simply about individual benefit and private gain but involves broader interests and gains accrued from political and economic systems. It is a characteristic of wider unequal economic and political governance measures that allow a few to benefit at the expense of many.

The African Union’s Advisory Board on Corruption (AUABC) is the emanation of the AU Convention on Combating and Preventing Corruption (AUCPCC) and it was created on 26th May 2009 under Article 22 (1) of The Convention. This Organ bases its work on the provisions of this legal instrument and in this regard, it is the unique continental organization mandated by the African Union to deal with corruption and related themes in Africa. In a bid to engage the civil society representatives on such an important continental discussion, the October, 2018 session of the NGOs Forum will focus on the issue of Corruption. The discussions will assist in exploring the potential of greater alliance building and broader networking by CSOs and existing AU organs in order to register stronger results that are viable and sustainable in combatting corruption in Africa. Additionally, the ground breaking Call to Action Document which called for 10 transformational interventions by state and non-state actors will be showcased and discussed.