The South Africa Regional Centre of Excellence in Integrity and The South Africa Dialogue
The South Africa Regional Centre of Excellence in Integrity (SARCOE) is a unique collaboration between the South Africa’s Ministry of Justice and the Pavocat-Stellenbosch Academy.
It provides highly practical training courses accredited by Stellenbosch University, online and onsite internationally to public and private sector officials, and aims to improve the knowledge in and delivery of, counter corruption measures across all levels of the public and private sectors.
The P-SA itself is a joint venture between Stellenbosch University and Pavocat South Africa (Pty) Ltd. It provides highly practical training courses accredited by Stellenbosch University, online and onsite internationally to public and private sector officials, and aims to improve the knowledge in and delivery of, counter corruption measures across all levels of the public and private sectors.
SARCOE builds capacity and empowers individuals, organisations and governments through knowledge and education to counter all forms of corruption.
It aims to counter corruption in two ways:
Training and Education in Counter Corruption
The training courses offered by the SARCOE aim to embed knowledge and understanding of counter corruption techniques that will build capacity and empower individuals and organisations to change cultures and thinking. In the longer term governments will be able to tackle the underlying issues plaguing Africa, which are poverty, human rights abuses and failing economies.
Short courses of varying lengths are taught by leading experts in the field of counter corruption from the Pavocat Stellenbosch Academy. They aim to teach delegates to identify, counter and defeat corruption in all its forms, advance human rights and improve compliance with the Laws of Conflict.
Counter Corruption courses are targeted at all levels of the public sector including law enforcement agencies, police officers, prosecutors and judges, civil servants, particularly those involved in public procurement, and other public officials seeking knowledge and a professional qualification in the field of counter corruption. In addition, counter corruption courses will be offered to the private sector for compliance officers
Courses specialising in human rights and the laws of conflict are aimed at those organisations and individuals working in these fields in the region. This could include members of national human rights commissions, law enforcement officers, members of the gendarmeries and armed services, defence contractors and those seeking knowledge or a professional qualification.
The Pan Africa Thinktank for Countering Corruption in all its Forms
Africa needs SARCOE inclusive of the South Africa Dialogue. From 2024 the South Africa Dialogue will be a two day, high level conclave the purpose of which will be to identify and implement coherent and coordinated solutions to Africa’s corruption problems.
The Dialogue is inspired by the Manama Dialogue (security in the Middle East), and Davos (World Economic Forum). From 2024 the South Africa Dialogue will be a two day, high level conclave the purpose of which will be to identify and implement coherent and coordinated solutions to Africa’s corruption problems.
The South Africa Development Community (SADC) of nations recognises corruption and corrupt practices as an unresolved challenge, and the Corruption Perceptions Index published by the SADC shows that most nations have a CPI rating of less than 50, implying high levels of corruption.
On 27th July 2022 the Pavocat-Stellenbosch Academy hosted the first Counter Corruption Summit at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Studies. The summit brought together all branches of the South African State (the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary), law enforcement and other agencies. In addition to the public sector, business leaders, representatives from NGOs, civil societies and academia were present. International Organisations were also represented including the World Bank’s integrity Vice Presidency, the African Development Bank, UNODC and the Commonwealth Secretariat.
The aim of the summit was to begin the creation of a long lasting, sustainable collaboration between all sectors of society to develop solutions that tackle corruption and the resulting poverty, economic and social failure. The summit concluded with the unanimous adoption of the Summit Declaration which established the South Africa Regional Centre of Excellence in Integrity. Delegates considered this to be the way forward in countering corruption on the African continent.
Post Counter Corruption Summit
Open Letter of Ministerial Authority October 2022
In October 2022 South Africa minister of Justice and Correctional Facilities Hon. Ronald Lamola MP published an open letter of Ministerial Authority for the Pavocat Stellenbosch Academy to secure funding for SARCOE and the South Africa Dialogue.
Pan Africa Counter Corruption Assembly September 2023
In Autumn 2023 SARCOE will hold the first Pan-Africa Counter Corruption Assembly. This will be held at Ministerial level for nations across Africa as a two day, intensive international conference hosted by SARCOE in Stellenbosch. It is the beginning of the process of identifying integrated, co-ordinated and coherent strategies for countering corruption across the African continent.
The conference aims to resolve to hold an annual dialogue to perpetuate its work by convening the South Africa Dialogue.
Inaugural South Africa Dialogue 2024
The first South Africa Dialogue to be held in 2024 at Head of State and Secretary General level. It will be a two day ‘grand strategic’ conclave, held annually and attended by world leaders and experts in their fields.
Its aim is to build upon the work of the Pan Africa Counter Corruption Assembly. It will help global leaders to identify and implement effective, efficient and deliverable strategies for combating corruption across Africa. Its product will be the South Africa Dialogue Counter Corruption Framework for Africa. This living strategy will grow and improve as a result of annual Dialogues.
Post South Africa Dialogue 2025 Onwards
From the annual South Africa Dialogue national counter corruption conversations and dialogues will follow. Through these conversations awareness of the South African Dialogue can be developed innthe African populace. The Dialogue leads to the decisions that governments need to make to implement the terms of the Framework in a way that meets the needs of individual African nations.
The aim is to work to resolve national corruption problems at a national level, but within the ‘grand strategy’ developed during the annual South African Dialogues.
Resources
Further information to support this briefing information can be found by visiting the links below.
Media Release announcing open letter from Hon. Ronald Lamola MP
