Africa-Press – Botswana. Botswana and Zimbabwe are alive to the devastating effects of corruption hence their continued efforts and resolve to engage beyond their two borders at strategic, policy and operational levels, says Mr Dumezweni Mthimkhulu.
Speaking at an anti-corruption Pitso in Gaborone on Wednesday, which was also attended by Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) representatives, the state president assistant minister said the Pitso’s theme, The fight against corruption 29 years and beyond: What has been the role of civil society, was pursuant to an agreement made during the two countries’ bi-national commission session of February 2022.
Mr Mthimkhulu said it was also pursuant to the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) and ZACC Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which effected in December 2019.
“Following the signing of the MoU, the two organisations have held several exchanges one being the commemoration of the Africa Anti-Corruption Pitso 22,” he said
The assistant minister said there had also been capacity building initiatives particularly in the area of corruption risk management and operational matters on which Botswana had made several benchmarks.
Mr Mthimkhulu said through the Pitso and in line with its theme, Botswana endeavoured to get objective feedback on whether the country had leveraged on the strategic positioning, intellectual capital and enhanced footprint enjoyed by Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).
Quoting civil society contributions to the implementation of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) in Southern Africa 2021, he said CSOs played a pivotal role in fighting corruption by ‘providing expertise to governments, conducting anti-corruption research, monitoring and reporting on the status of implementation of UNCAC commitments’.
Mr Mthimkhulu said where civil society was active in the fight against corruption, corruption did not thrive.
“It is therefore our wish to see civil society working hand in hand with the DCEC to fight this monster,” he said.
The assistant minister said Botswana looked forward to learning about the challenges that CSOs in Zimbabwe were experiencing and therefore weakening the country’s efforts in the fight against corruption.
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