Media must serve as watchdogs against corruption - AU ABC Executive Secretary

Media must serve as watchdogs against corruption - AU ABC Executive Secretary 

by Marian Ansah, 

Nairobi, Kenya

The Executive Secretary of the African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption (AUABC), Charity Nchimunya, has emphasized the need for the media to join the Board's efforts in combating corruption. 

Speaking at a media engagement workshop held in Nairobi, Ms. Nchimunya said the media can serve as a watchdog by exposing acts of corruption.

The three-day workshop, which was organized by the AUABC in collaboration with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) office to the African Union (AU), kicked off with a presentation by  Dr. Scelo Zibagwe, Programme Planning Specialist at the AU who touched on governance, the rule of law, the AU's thirty-nine priority areas, 15 flagship projects, and seven aspirations. 

The first day of the workshop saw Senior Policy Officer at the AU, Martha Munthali highlighting the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (AUCPCC), a roadmap that aims to ensure accountability and transparency by member states. 

Ms. Munthali disclosed how the aspirations of the AUCPCC are closely linked to Agenda 2063, saying they both advocate for an Africa that places importance on rule of law, good governance, and democratic values. 

Over the years, Transparency International chapters in Cote D'ivoire, Tunisia, and other countries have called for the implementation of the AUCPCC in various areas: money-laundering, political party funding, and illicit enrichment. 

AUCPCC also tasks state parties to create an avenue for the media and civil society organizations to hold governments accountable without interference. 

By the end of the three-day workshop, journalists will be familiar with the AUABC and its activities. 

The workshop will also create a platform for networking and sharing ideas on combating corruption. 

 

You can follow more about these efforts following #AfricaAgainstCorruption across social media.

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