Africa-Press – Angola. The vice president of the African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption, Pascoal Joaquim reaffirmed on Friday the organization’s member states’ commitment to fighting corruption and related crimes, as well as promoting the continental convention on the matter.
Joaquim made this statement at a workshop in the Angolan capital of Luanda to mark the 22nd anniversary of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption. The workshop’s motto was “Promoting Human Dignity in the Fight Against Corruption.”
Joaquim called for greater participation by the media and civil society in general in the fight against corruption on the continent.
He said the AU convention aims to create an environment in which civil society and the media can demand transparency and accountability from governments in managing public assets.
The AU official emphasized the importance of ensuring that the media have access to information in cases of corruption and related crimes, provided that disclosure does not hinder the investigative process or the right to a fair trial.
Joaquim said the organization plans to intensify the criminalization of corruption and related crimes, implement institutional measures, and continue preventive actions to encourage citizens’ confidence in the fight against corruption.
He said another objective is to foster an environment in which civil society organizations can collaborate with member states to confiscate resources and instruments of corruption.
Of the 55 states on the continent, 50 have signed the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption, and 48 have ratified it.
He explained that, in its 22 years of existence, only seven states have not yet ratified the Convention: Cape Verde, the Central African Republic, Djibouti, Eritrea, Eswatini, Somalia, and South Sudan.
The issue of preventing and combating corruption in Africa was discussed during a workshop organized by the Attorney General’s Office (PGR).
The meeting took place within the framework of the 22nd anniversary of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption, under the slogan “Promoting Human Dignity in the Fight Against Corruption.”
For More News And Analysis About Angola Follow Africa-Press
