The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU) dedicated its 764th meeting, held on 12 April 2018, to an open session on nexus between corruption and conflict and its implications for peace and security in Africa.
Council took note of the presentations made by Dr. Khabele Matlosa, Director of the Department of Political Affairs, and by Honorable Paulus Noa, Member of the African Union Advisory Board on Corruption, as well as the statements delivered by the representatives of Ethiopia, as African Member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU) and those of the permanent Members of the UNSC namely, France, Russia, United Kingdom and the United States of America.
Council reaffirmed the AU’s principles and commitments relating to the fight against corruption, as enshrined in the Constitutive Act, the Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, as well as in the AU Convention on Preventing and Combatting corruption. Council further recalled Decision 951 (XXX) of 30th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council held in January 2017, declaring 2018 the year of “Winning the Fight Against Corruption: A Sustainable Path to Africa’s Transformation” and the outcome of the debate on the theme during the 30th Ordinary session of the Assembly, held on 28 and 29 January 2018, in Addis Ababa.
Council underscored the need for greater integration of the African Governance Architecture (AGA) within structural conflict prevention framework of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA).
Council underlined the universal nature of the scourge of corruption and recognizes the need to reorient the skewed narratives that depict corruption as an African phenomenon through dialogue and strategic repositioning of the African anti-corruption agenda at the global level. In this regard, Council recalled the report of the AU High Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows which revealed that illicit flows from Africa amount to $50 billion every year and could be as high as $148 billion and the corrosive effect that Illicit financial flows have had on African States. In this regard, Council urged Member States to speed up the implementation of the recommendations of the Report of the Panel and the subsequent Special Declaration Doc. Assembly/AU/17(XXIV) of the Assembly.
Council noted with deep concern that corruption and poor management of natural resources has greatly contributed to the destruction of the social fabric of communities and therefore threatens peace and security in Africa. In this regard, Council stressed that there is an urgent need for concerted actions to develop and strengthen accountability mechanisms and good governance at all levels, within a comprehensive framework of rule of Law mechanisms.
Council recognized the imperative of investing in the demographic dividend through anti-corruption education and sensitization campaigns targeted at young people as a means of catalyzing attitudinal change.
Council urged Member States to support and contribute to the development of the Common African Position on Asset Recovery as a flagship initiative of the African Anti-Corruption Year.
Council appealed to Member States to strengthen south-south cooperation through voluntary information exchange, mutual legal assistance and sharing of best practices between national anti-corruption agencies, audit agencies and investigative bodies.
Council commended partners for the support they are providing to the AU and individual African countries in the fight against corruption and urged them to redouble their support in realizing the Africa’s goal of conflict-free continent.
Council requested the AU Commission and the African Union Advisory Board on Corruption to jointly develop a report that empirically addresses the relationship between corruption and conflict and to report to the Council, as soon as possible.
Council urged Member States, which have not yet done so, to sign and ratify the AU Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption, as well as the Protocol on Amendments to the Protocol on the Statute of the African Court of Justice and Human Rights that will vesting the Court with corporate criminal liability and jurisdiction over corruption, money laundering and illicit exploitation of natural resources, as means for the Union to actualize punitive sanctions for individuals and entities that engage in destabilizing economic activity that could lead to violent conflict.
Council called on Member States to continue to provide support and adequate resources to the African Union Advisory Board on Corruption for it to discharge its mandate effectively.
Council decided to remain actively seized with the matter.