The Pan-African Counter-Corruption Assembly (PACCA or Assembly) is set to convene on the 2nd and 3rd November at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS). The PACCA, which is gathering upon the invitation of the Hon Ronald Lamola MP, South Africa’s Minister of Justice and Correctional Services and which is being run by the Africa Regional Centre of Excellence in Integrity (AFCOE), will be held over two days and will include prominent politicians and leaders from across Africa, as well as well as international financiers, global business leaders, representatives from organisations tackling corruption, and legal minds.
The PACCA is intended to be the forerunner to the annual Africa Counter Corruption Dialogue (the Dialogue), which will be for countering corruption in Africa what Davos is for addressing other urgent global issues. At the PACCA, high level delegates will primarily debate the need for and the structure of a living and evolving Pan-African Counter-Corruption Framework (the Framework) that will identify and implement effective, efficient and integrated strategies for countering corruption across the African continent.
The Assembly is supported by BADEA (the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa), global mining company Anglo American plc and international law firm McAllister Olivarius, and will be hosted by the AFCOE.
Professor Lee Marler, a Director of Pavocat – leading advocates in the global fight against corruption – and a Co-Founder of the AFCOE, said,
“It is a great honour for the AFCOE to be hosting the Pan-African Counter-Corruption Assembly in Stellenbosch on the 2nd and 3rd of November and we look forward to welcoming politicians and leaders from across Africa, and the leaders from global organisations like the World Bank and the South African National Prosecuting Authority.”
Continuing, Professor Marler said,
“The scourge of corruption has plagued the African continent for far too long, hampering economic growth, social change and development, and allowed human rights abuses and crime to thrive. The aim of the PACCA and its intended outcome – identifying the need for the Framework and the continuance of the Dialogue – is to enable African governments, working with private sector businesses, organisations and international financiers, to implement the policies, measures and safeguards that will allow African nations to tackle domestic corruption effectively and efficiently.”
PACCA will bring together influential figures and ministers of justice from nations including South Africa, Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Malawi, Morocco, Namibia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia and more.
Delegates representing the IMF, World Bank, Corruption Watch, Integrity Initiatives International, Anglo American, Deloitte’s, the Commonwealth Secretariat, and the National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa will also participate.
The PACCA will feature debate, sharing of knowledge and expertise, and discussion, offering valuable insights into the ongoing battle against corruption in Africa.
The themes open for discussion over the two-day Assembly include:
Corruption – the Blight of Africa: Analysing the cost and impact of corruption on the African continent;
Current International Matrix for Tackling Corruption: Evaluating the existing international strategies and their shortcomings;
Fighting Corruption in Africa: Discussing the challenges and efforts to combat corruption;
Counter-Corruption Capacity Building: Exploring the AFCOE Courses designed to enhance anti-corruption capabilities across Africa;
The Concept of the International Anti-Corruption Court: A critical examination of this innovative idea.
Corruption in African Procurement: Examining corruption issues in procurement practices.
Role of the Private Sector in Defeating Corruption in Africa: Highlighting the private sector’s role in combating corruption.
Financing Counter-Corruption Initiatives: Addressing the financial challenges involved in anti-corruption efforts.
PACCA is set to be a unique gathering of visionaries and leaders dedicated to eradicating corruption in Africa with planned outcomes to enable and empower African nations to tackle the scourge of corruption and unleash Africa’s struggling economies.