The African Union is launching a large-scale campaign against corruption across the continent this year.
The operation guided by the theme ‘fighting corruption in Africa’ will include naming, shaming as well as a cross-continent collaborative efforts to detain and arrest corrupt individuals.
The 30th AU Summit kicked off Monday at the headquarters of the AU in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa with the continental body pushing to fight the vice that has impeded progress in socio-economic development to uplift the lives of millions.
“Under the leadership of the African Union Advisory Board on Corruption (AUABC), the African Union, its organs, Member States, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), civil society organizations together with citizens will embark on a journey to address the urgent need to curb corruption which is a major societal flaw causing setbacks in the socio-economic and political development of the continent,” the continental body said.
The African Union has adopted various instruments such as the AU Convention on Preventing and Combatting Corruption (AUCPCC), adopted in 2003, the African Charter on the Values and Principles of Public Service and Administration and the African Charter on the Values and Principles of Decentralization, Local Governance and Local Development all aimed at tackling graft in various spheres.
The summit started with the 35th Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives’ Committee of the AU from Jan. 22 to 23. This sets the agenda of the summit with recommendations for consideration by the 32nd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council, scheduled for Jan. 25-26.
The Executive Council meeting will be followed by the 30th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the AU from Jan. 28 to 29.
