KATIMA MULILO – While cautioning that no country can be safe from the corrosive damage caused by corruption, Anti-Corruption Commission director general Paulus Noa called for national and international commitment to raising awareness, preventing, and combating corruption.
He made the remarks in a speech read by his deputy Erna van der Merwe yesterday during the commemoration of the International Anti-Corruption Day held at Katima Mulilo.
This year is a milestone commemoration, as the day marks the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), which is being commemorated under the theme: “UNCAC at 20: Uniting the World against Corruption”.
The 2023 International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD) thus seeks to highlight the crucial link between anti-corruption, peace, security, and development.
Noa, therefore, said the theme resonates well with a clarion call to all State parties to fight corruption.
“Corruption is found in all countries. No country can be safe from the corrosive damage caused by corruption unless there is true growing national and international commitment to raising awareness, preventing, and combating corruption,” he noted.
He emphasised international commitment demands authorities to afford each other the necessary informal and formal mutual legal assistance, particularly in investigating money laundering and related organised crimes.
“Indeed, the fight against corruption requires the involvement and participation of every person. No person’s role is less crucial when it comes to preventing and combating corruption. We all become the victims of corruption, and therefore we should all be the solution to the effects of corruption,” Noa stressed.
The convention is the global instrument and urges all sectors of society, to actively stand up against corruption. Hence, he advised the State, government officials, civil servants, law enforcement officers, media representatives, private sector, civil society, academia, the public, and youth, alike, all have a role to play in uniting the world against corruption.
To this end, he said a National Anti-Corruption Strategy and action plan was developed, to provide synergy and bring together both public and private bodies under one roof to confront corruption.
The Anti-Corruption Commission has also signed agreements with other institutions both at local and regional levels.
“I have already alluded to the agreement between the ACC and DCEC of Botswana. The agreements give leverage and synergy to anti-corruption agencies to work together in all necessary respects. This is not limited to conducting and exchanging studies and research, exchange of expertise, technical assistance in the development of programmes, but also extend to the areas of investigations and asset recovery,” Noa indicated.
This year’s event was graced by the presence among many, a delegation from the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) of the Republic of Botswana, headed by the deputy director general of operations Priscilla Israel.
She said Botswana’s efforts were duly recognised by the inaugural session of the Botswana-Namibia bi-national commission held in Gaborone on 5 to 9 September 2022.
The commission noted then that the two agencies are yet to establish a joint technical committee to develop an implementation plan to operationalise the agreement.
“I am happy to announce that we have achieved all the obligations of the decisions of the BNC and the implementation of the agreement for the year 2023/24 is at an advanced stage between our agencies. We all know the evils of corruption and how it easily changes jurisdiction. We are more than ready to assist Namibia and other states in restoring possession of proceeds of corruption,” Israel assured.
-anakale@nepc.com.na
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