Dakar, 24 May 2018 - In the framework of its series of seminars on the Development, the African Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP) has hosted a round table on the theme "winning the fight against corruption in Africa". This seminar was attended by more than 60 high-level experts: the Ambassadors of the African Group of the diplomatic corps accredited in Senegal and their counterparts in the other continents, officials of the top-level, as well as representatives of international organizations working on issues related to the economic development of the continent.
The seminar was held on the eve of the Africa World Day, celebrated on 25 May. This year the opportunity was seized to deepen the reflection on the efforts to fight corruption in Africa and the best practices of national policies of African States in this area. IDEP and the members of the African Group of the diplomatic corps accredited in Senegal have made their contribution to the reflection of the Heads of State on the 2018 theme of the African Union (AU) : "winning the fight against corruption: a sustainable path toward the transformation of Africa". The importance of the political will is returned several times in the interventions of the panellists and participants. All countries who have relating good performance in the rankings on corruption have in common the commitment of political leaders in the effective implementation of the strategies in the fight against this scourge.
The Dean of the African Group, His Excellency Mr. Auguste Paraina, Ambassador of Madagascar, has shared his optimism given "the determination of our Heads of State, nothing will be more as before, significant progress will be made in the fight against corruption".
In the opinion of Mrs. Karima Bounemra Ben Soltane, Director of IDEP, this decision of the African Heads of State to win the fight against corruption and their awareness of the urgency and the magnitude of the challenge will restore confidence between the decision-makers and the populations in the continent. According to it, a imperative is however of the mainstreaming of the fight against corruption in the national development plans. "The trend of the economic recovery in the continent cannot register in the duration if the main challenges facing our countries, the first title which figure the fight against corruption, are not recorded in a manner determined and strong," she said.
The Secretary General of the Ministry of good governance and the protection of the Child of Senegal, Mr Oumar El Foutiyou Ba, speaking on behalf of Minister Madam Ndèye Ramatoulaye Gueye Diop recalled that this type of meeting is an appropriate platform to share experiences and reflect on the best practices in the fight against corruption in Africa.
The various flagship reports of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) also emphasize the key role of governance and the need to take into account the international dimension. To do this, it is required that the decision makers and public servants are better equipped in terms of the negotiations of the economic contracts in particular in the sectors where the multinational companies are the more present, said Dr. Francis Ikome, head of the Governance and Public Management Section at ECA. For ambassadors, it is equally important that the African leaders find ways adapted for than their western counterparts are committed to sides of Africa in this fight against corruption.
The participants have also been invited to reflect on the causes and the vicious circle of corruption, or even rethink the strategies. According to the Executive Secretary of CODESRIA, Dr. Godwin Murunga, nothing can justify the corruption but it should also be given to alternative reflections on its causes which are, for the most part, related to under-development. For the Resident Representative of the UNODC, Mr. Pierre Lapaque, "We must not minimise the relationship between corruption and insecurity caused by terrorism in particular in countries in a situation of latent conflict". Dr. Ibrahima Aidara, Administrator of the governance and economic advancement program to OSIWA, recalled that "Governments and subregional and regional organizations should regularly make the state of places of their strategies in the fight against corruption in order to readjust or even to change if they prove ineffective".
« Everything in rethinking the strategies, the fight against corruption, a real challenge of governance, would raise a hindrance to the mobilization of the necessary resources to the financing of the development of the Africa and thus accelerate the achievement of the objectives of development and transformation defined in 2030 and 2063 Agenda. », Added Mrs. Karima Bounemra Ben Soltane. In effect, it has reaffirmed, by the same occasion, the determination of the IDEP to continue the accompaniment of its Member States through its capacity-building programs including on such topics as the governance for the development, policies and negotiations of economic contracts, and the mobilization of domestic resources that address, among other things, the best strategies of development financing.
In sum, the Ambassadors have unanimously welcomed the IDEP and are all welcome the important discussions which were held in a prelude to the Africa World Day. It was agreed to keep this diplomatic platform for meetings on issues of the development of the continent.
Press/Media contact :
M. Audrey RHODES : 33.829.55.05 ; a.rhodes@unidep.org
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