“ECA Launches On-Line Web Portal on Anti-Corruption in Africa ”

Addis Ababa - 19 November 2008 (ECA) - An international conference on " Institutions, Culture and Corruption in Africa " jointly organized by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA), was convened in Addis Ababa from 13-15 October 2008. Over 100 participants, from more than 22 countries attended the conference which was a major initiative in promoting an African led discourse and agenda on anti-corruption in Africa . As well as the presentation of fifty-five papers during conference plenary and breakout sessions, a roundtable was also held during the event in which policy institutions, leading academics and civil society actors participated.

One of the main recommendations of the conference was for ECA to create a major information and e-discussion hub on anti-corruption in Africa . In furtherance of this decision, ECA is now establishing an on-line web portal in order to continue the dialogue, share information and provide a knowledge base on anti-corruption in Africa .

The objectives of the web portal include the following:

• To facilitate on-line dialogue, exchange of ideas and information sharing on anti-corruption in Africa ;

• To create a community of practice on anti-corruption in which good practices on anti-corruption initiatives, policies and programmes can be showcased on the continent;

• To create a knowledge base on anti-corruption in Africa ;

• To bring different stakeholders (policy makers, academics, policy intellectuals, bureaucrats, parliamentarians and civil society actors amongst others) together in discussing and exploring solutions to the problem of corruption in Africa ;

• To inform on activities, programmes, and events being undertaken by different institutions on corruption in Africa ;

• To promote partnership and collaboration on anti-corruption in Africa ;

• Finally to influence and help shape policy and programmes on anti-corruption in Africa with a view to reducing, if not eliminating the problem of corruption in Africa in line with the UN Convention on Corruption and the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption in Africa.

ECA is now encouraging all major stakeholders, including members of the judiciary, national anti-corruption institutions, civil society organizations and the pan-African body of national anti-corruption institutions in Africa, as well as members of parliament, academics, government officials and private sector operators, to join and participate in the soon to be launched “ E-Discussion on Anti-Corruption and in the development of this web portal by sharing what is happening in their countries and institutions.

Please visit the Anti- Corruption web portal of the UNECA as soon as possible. We also encourage you to visit the Governance and Public Administration Community of practice to see what's being done to promote the good governance in Africa .

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Issued by the ECA Information and Communication Service
P.O. Box 3001
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia

Tel: 251 11 5445098
Fax: +251 11 5510365
E-mail: ecainfo@uneca.org
Web: www.uneca.org