Africa

Kenya wins bid to host key African anti-corruption body

A file picture of Twalib Mbarak, the chief executive officer of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission. (Photo: X/EACC)

By Mercy Asamba | Thursday, January 11, 2024

The Centre for Anti-Corruption Studies and Research in Africa will facilitate studies and research to strengthen good governance and anti-corruption efforts.

Kenya has been selected to host the Centre for Anti-Corruption Studies and Research in Africa, which is a key regional anti-corruption body.

In a statement on Thursday, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) said the decision followed a resolution of the General Assembly of the African Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (AAACA) during its Extraordinary Meeting held on January 10, 2024.

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The EACC said the centre will facilitate studies and research that will strengthen good governance and anti-corruption efforts on the continent.

The commission's chief executive, Twalib Mbarak, added that the centre will play an important role in facilitating the development and harmonisation of strategies for the prevention, detection, investigation and control of corruption and related offenses in Africa.

Twalib said the responsibility to host the centre denoted the trust that regional peers have in Kenya.,

“Notably, the establishment of the centre marks a good opportunity for Kenya, especially in the areas of strengthening collaborations, strategies and opportunities in the fight against corruption,” he said.

The anti-graft body further noted that the resolution of the General Assembly acknowledges Kenya’s commitment to international and regional legal instruments against corruption, by establishing key anti-corruption structures and recording significant milestones in law enforcement, prevention and recovery of corruptly acquired assets.

The African Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (AACA) is established in accordance with the African Union Convention. Its aim is to promote the effective implementation of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption and the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, to which Kenya is a signatory.

The AACA brings together anti-corruption authorities from across the African continent to collaborate and share best practices in the fight against corruption.

The association aims to strengthen the capacity of its member agencies to effectively prevent and combat corruption in Africa.