Botswana is a shining light and beacon of hope in the fight against corruption in Africa and has one of the best anti-corruption profiles on the continent.

The statement was made today by Said Adejumobi, Economic Commission for Africa’s (ECA) Regional Director for Southern Africa, at the official opening of a 3-day regional conference on the theme, “Corruption and the Challenge of Economic Transformation in Southern Africa”.

Adejumobi stressed that the choice of Botswana to serve as host of the regional conference was not a coincidence. The country, he said, is a success story in fighting corruption; it is one of the best governed countries on the continent, where institutions work and resources are well utilized. It is well-placed to champion the anti-corruption agenda in Southern Africa and can encourage other African countries to follow suit.

“Corruption has had a corrosive effect on Africa’s development; it has weakened public institutions, distorted resource allocation, and affected the quality and scope of the delivery of social services and devalued state and society,” he said. For things to change, Adejumobi observed, “good and progressive leadership can make a qualitative difference, it can help build institutions, diffuse the tensions and high premiums often associated with the struggle for power and curb corruption in the state and society.”

For his part, the President of the Republic of Botswana, Mokgweetsi Masisi, who was the Guest of Honour at the opening ceremony called on governments to put in place sound policies in fighting corruption. He noted that good policies on accounting, internal controls and auditing systems, and strong capacity for anti-corruption and oversight institutions and the existence of the rule of law and due process are essential in fighting corruption.

He elaborated on measures that his government has put in place to fight corruption including a number of relevant legal instruments such as the Proceeds and Instruments of Crime Act and Whistle Blowing Act as well as a specialized corruption court. “We are going to table a Bill in Parliament on Declaration of Assets and Liabilities which will cover all top government officials including the executive,” he said.

President Masisi lauded the organisers of the conference including the ECA and the African Union Southern Africa Office (AUSARO) for bringing together different stakeholders including academics, policy makers, development practitioners, and heads of anti-corruption agencies in the region saying it was a step in the right direction towards zero tolerance for corruption.

Also present was the Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Nonofo Molefhi said the conference was significant to Botswana as the country has set targets for fighting corruption in all its manifestations. “It is therefore encouraging to us to engage, interact, exchange views and in the process, receive guidance and direction from those of you who have a commitment in their own countries to fight corruption,” he said.

Molefhi said Botswana has institutionalized anti-corruption ideals across government and parastatal organizations and local authority in order to root out the corruption scourge. “I want to assure you that Botswana is open to hosting conferences and to apply the lessons for further improvement on our efforts as a country,” he added.

In his keynote address, former President of Liberia, Prof. Amos Sawyer underscored the need to intensify and elevate the conversation about the relationship between political parties, especially ruling parties and legislatures in the promotion of good governance. “I think appropriate institutions which operate at national and regional levels can take the lead,” he said. He observed that rules of political parties pertaining to their internal governance, selection of leaders and candidates directly affect the quality of governance not only of political parties themselves but the quality of governance in the entire political system.

Speaking at the same event, African Union Commission representative, Leopold-Auguste Ngomo said, “like cancer, corruption destroys systems.” He called on African states to move towards zero tolerance of corruption by bringing the culprits to book. 

Organized by the ECA, Southern Africa Office, African Union, Southern Africa Office and the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime of Botswana, the 3 day conference was followed by a “Consultative Meeting of National Anti-Corruption Institutions” from 21-22 June 2018.

The Consultative Meeting was attended by heads of national anti-corruption institutions in Southern Africa, selected civil society organisations and experts, development partners and regional and international institutions.

The objective of the meeting was to provide a platform for anti-corruption institutions in the region to share knowledge and experiences, lessons learned, best practices, and discuss challenges, opportunities and prospects.

The meeting aimed to upscale the fight against corruption in Southern Africa by creating an increased knowledge base, understanding and policy options on the problem, and also strengthening the capacity of national anti-corruption institutions in the region.

The Consultative Meeting concluded with the formation of the Network of Anti-Corruption Stakeholders in Southern Africa (NASSA), with a 5 member Bureau including; Botswana, Kingdom of Eswatini, UNECA, representative of the media (Weekly News, Mauritius) and representative of the Civil Society (Zambia).

The network is a platform through which anti-corruption institutions can effectively network, strengthen their capacity and enhance their fight against corruption in the region by sharing experience, lessons and best practices.

A selection of presentations from the 3-day regional conference have been made available to download courtesy of the UN Economic Commission for Africa Sub-regional Office (ECA-SRO) for Southern Africa.