Africa-Press – Eswatini. With International Anti-Corruption Day fast approaching, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of Eswatini is placing young people at the centre of its intensified fight against corruption, calling on them to champion integrity and accountability as the country battles escalating losses to corrupt practices.
This year’s campaign, themed “Youth and the Fight Against Corruption,” seeks to cultivate a new generation of ethical leaders equipped to hold those in power to account. The ACC believes that empowering young people is vital to securing a corruption-free future and unlocking the country’s full economic, social, and political potential.
The Commission emphasised that the youth are uniquely positioned to drive the cultural shift required to curb corruption. According to the ACC, corruption not only drains public resources but also undermines social trust, distorts constitutional principles, weakens governance systems, and cripples economic development.
The 2025 campaign places particular focus on the links between corruption and organised crime, the importance of instilling ethics and integrity among young people, and the urgent need to rebuild public confidence in institutions. By mobilising youth voices, the ACC aims to create a generation that refuses to normalise corruption and is empowered to speak out against abuse of power.
Recent data paints a stark picture. Eswatini is currently losing an estimated E100 million every month to corruption—more than double the losses recorded a few years ago. Monthly losses were previously estimated at E40 million before rising to E80 million, and now to the current alarming figure. The ACC described the trend as “deeply troubling,” warning that without decisive public involvement, corruption could continue to escalate.
International Anti-Corruption Day, observed annually on 9 December, plays a pivotal role in raising global awareness about the risks and consequences of corruption. Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2003 following the adoption of the UN Convention against Corruption, the day highlights the need for collective responsibility in addressing one of the world’s most pervasive challenges. The global campaign is led by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) alongside the UN Development Programme (UNDP).
Eswatini also joins the rest of the continent in observing African Anti-Corruption Day on 11 July, which commemorates the adoption of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption. The theme for the 2025 observance, “Promoting Human Dignity in the Fight Against Corruption,” underscores that corruption is not merely a financial crime—it is an assault on human dignity and social justice.
The ACC reiterated that a corruption-free Eswatini is within reach if all citizens, especially the youth, commit to rejecting corrupt behaviour in all its forms. As the country marks this year’s anti-corruption observances, the Commission is urging young people to take a leading role in building an accountable and transparent society.
“Eswatini’s future depends on the choices we make today,” the ACC said. “By empowering the youth, we are investing in a generation that can change the nation’s trajectory and ensure that corruption no longer stands in the way of progress.”
Source: Eswatini Positive News – News Website
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