Anti-corruption groups urge African leaders to close enforcement gap, back international anti-graft court

Ms Jaymangal said strengthening national institutions remains essential, but where domestic systems fail to tackle grand corruption, complementary international mechanisms such as the proposed International Anti-Corruption Court should be seriously considered to ensure stolen public wealth finds no safe haven.

READ ALSO: From nutrition to national security: A governance lesson in coordination and ownership, By Crispin Oduobuk The organisations urged African governments to enforce anti-corruption laws impartially, protect whistleblowers, journalists, activists and honest public officials, improve transparency in public procurement, land administration, natural resource contracts and public finance, and strengthen anti-money laundering and asset recovery efforts.

Civil society organisations from Africa have called on governments to move beyond anti-corruption commitments and focus on enforcing existing laws, warning that weak accountability continues to fuel grand corruption and deprive the continent of billions of dollars needed for development.