Established in Gabarone in 2013, the Commonwealth Africa Anti-Corruption Centre (CAACC) was created to support governments across the continent in their efforts to curb corruption.
Dr Roger Koranteng also recognised for his pivotal role
Over eleven years, the centre has played a vital role in developing specialist training programmes, providing technical expertise and advising on policy development.
Earlier this year the Government of Botswana hosted an event to highlight the contributions the centre has made to improving governance in the region. Government officials, civil society organisations and other distinguished guests gather to mark the occasion.
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The event celebrated the Commonwealth Africa Anti-Corruption Centre over a decade of solid successes. President of Botswana, HE Mokgweetsi Masisi, gave the keynote address at the event. The President noted that while the problem of corruption remains pervasive, the CAACC has been hard at work at its mandate. The President said:
"I am happy to note that since inception, the Centre has trained 2,300 officers across Commonwealth Africa countries, predominantly from anti-corruption agencies and oversight institutions."
"The Centre has been able to gradually increase the number of training programmes offered annually, in an effort to meet the training needs of anti-corruption agencies and other comparable agencies. These training programmes are therefore designed to cover critical and relevant anti-corruption subjects addressing both proactive and reactive mandates."
Dr Roger Koranteng, one of the principal architects of CAACC, was honoured at the glittering ceremony. The President of Botswana bestowed an award on him at the event in "recognition and appreciation for establishing the Commonwealth Anti-Corruption Centre in Botswana, as well as sterling work done in the anti-corruption space in Commonwealth Africa."
Dr Koranteng noted that the centre was born out of his vision to combine the individual efforts of separate anti-corruption agencies into a central body to support and amplify their work as well as share best practices for greater effectiveness. He has been a campaigner for improved governance for over 30 years throughout his career.
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As Head of Public Sector Governance at the Commonwealth Secretariat, he has been instrumental in tackling corruption. Since joining the Commonwealth Secretariat, Dr Koranteng has organised and delivered numerous senior-level executive seminars and capacity-development training programmes in governance, management, and anti-corruption efforts in Africa, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific.
While unavoidable absent, the Secretary General of the Commonwealth, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, shared her thoughts during the celebration of this milestone. She noted:
"The Commonwealth Secretariat sees the Centre as a flagship project which provides a visible and tangible demonstration of the Secretariat's commitment to support its members' anti-corruption efforts."
"I would therefore want to take this opportunity, to thank the Government of Botswana for the enduring partnership and congratulate the Centre for its 10 plus one anniversary."
The CAACC's work continues
The continued importance of the CAACC's work is undeniable. While the costs of corruption are loosely known, what is not often stated is that those funds should have been invested in meaningful projects for the benefit of the people and the country.
A 2018 Commonwealth Secretariat publication, Tackling Corruption in Commonwealth Africa, noted that in 2002, the African Union had estimated the annual cost of corruption as US$148 billion. The 2021 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Corruption and Economic Crime Annual Report estimated that Africa loses more than US$89 billion to illicit, including corruption.
While both figures are divergent, they both point to a challenge hampering the region's growth. The CAACC aims to reduce the losses suffered by African countries. To do so, the centre helps government officials prevent losses, supports legislators in closing loopholes, assists law enforcement officials in detecting perpetrators, and upskills judicial officers to help bring more criminals to justice.
The CAACC also bring awareness to the fact that corruption retards the growth of infrastructure and society.
Media contact
- Charmaine Wright Head of Media Relations, Commonwealth Secretariat
