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Strengthening Anti-Corruption Capacity in Tanzania |
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In June, 106 Members of Parliament (MPs) from Tanzania together with about 40 other non-MPs, mainly APNAC-Tanzania Members,gathered in Dodoma, Tanzania for an African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption (APNAC) and GOPAC national workshop on the UNCAC and anti-money laundering. This two-day workshop was initiated by the APNAC-Tanzania, the Tanzania Chapter of GOPAC, and was viewed as an opportunity to reach out to a new group of recently elected MPs following a general election in Tanzania in late 2010. The workshop, jointly hosted by GOPAC and APNAC, was developed to strengthen the capacity of MPs to understand the UNCAC; transfer knowledge on how to build a stronger anti-money laundering regime; and introduce participants to the GOPAC Anti-Money Laundering Action Guide for Parliamentarians.
The workshop was officially launched by Hon. Anne Makinda, MP, Speaker of the Parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania. She undertook to support and encourage the work of APNAC Tanzania and impressed on the audience the need to fight corruption and money laundering in Tanzania. During her remarks, she indicated that the Tanzanian Parliament is in the process of formulating a code of ethics for MPs.
The workshop was facilitated by the Executive Director of APNAC-Africa Secretariat, Mr. Daniel Batidam and chaired by Hon. Dr. Mary Mwanjelwa Chair of APNAC-Tanzania. GOPAC resource experts, Hon. Roy Cullen (Canada), Chair of GOPAC’s Anti-Money Laundering Global Task Force and Hon. Amadou Bouare(Mali), Member of GOPAC’s UNCAC
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Global Task Force presented on the role of MPs in implementing the UNCAC and building a stronger AML regime.
It was the unanimous view of APNAC Tanzania and the assembled group that the local chapter needs to re-group following this workshop and that the APNAC Tanzania Executive needs to develop an action plan for consideration by the full membership.
The following recommendations that came out of workshop discussion will be taken into account:
- Complete the 2012 GOPAC AntiCorruption Monitoring Survey to identify gaps or deficiencies in the fight against corruption in Tanzania. This analysis would be used to target interventions/actions on the UNCAC by APNAC Tanzania;
- Work with the Eastern and South African Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) to better understand the FATF review of the anti-money laundering regime in Tanzania and what steps, if any, the Tanzanian government has taken to correct these shortfalls. This analysis would then be used to draft and table legislative amendments with the help of ESSAAMLG and GOPAC, and any other appropriate parliamentary interventions; and
- Conduct a GTF workshop seminar for MPs on parliamentary ethics and conduct.
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Colombia Recognises GOPAC Chair for Tireless Anti-Corruption Work |
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GOPAC congratulates our Chair, Dr. Naser Al Sane, on his appointment as a Grand Officer of the Order of the Congress of Colombia in recognition of his work in fighting corruption globally through inter-parliamentary relations. The appointment was made during Dr. Naser Al Sane’s participation as a guest speaker at the Legislature Against Corruption forum hosted by the Ethics Committee of the Congress of Colombia. He also took the opportunity during his time in Colombia to meet with Senator Alexandra Moreno Piraquive and members of the Senate of Colombia’s Second Committee on International Relations to encourage their involvement in GOPAC and the possible creation of a National Chapter in Colombia.
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How Strong are we in the Global Fight Against Corruption? |
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GOPAC, in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), is pleased to announce the release of How Strong are we in the Global Fight Against Corruption?: Self-assessing the implementation of the UNCAC. This new report assesses recent pilot workshops focussing on a jointly developed self-assessment tool for parliamentarians on the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).
The report looks at three pilot workshops held in Burkina Faso, Timor Leste and Morocco for Members of Parliament (MPs) and wider civil society. The workshops were designed to provide substantial knowledge about the UNCAC and the GOPAC-UNDP selfassessment tool and to encourage more active involvement in the process of the formal UNCAC self-evaluation mechanism. They also sought to engage broader civil society and parliamentarians in a national dialogue on the fight against corruption.
The report includes information about workshop sessions in each of the countries as well as a summary of recommendations
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gathered from workshop participants. Visit the GOPAC website today to view a copy of How Strong are we in the Global Fight Against Corruption?: Self-assessing the implementation of the UNCAC.
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GOPAC Global Secretariat Welcomes New Chief Operating Officer |
GOPAC is pleased to introduce the latest addition to the Global Secretariat team Mr. Akaash Maharaj, our new Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Maharaj comes to GOPAC with a
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wide breadth of experience in both political and non-profit organizations. He earned his MA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from Oxford, where he was the first non-European elected president of the Student Union. A frequent contributor to national debate, his articles have been published in newspapers across the world, he appears monthly as a broadcast essayist with TVOntario’s “The Agenda”, and Maclean’s magazine named him one of Canada’s 50 “most well-known and respected personalities”.
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GOPAC Board of Directors Welcomes New Board Member |
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The GOPAC Board of Directors welcomes John Hyde, MLA from the Western Australia State Legislature. Mr. Hyde is the founder and Chair of GOPAC Australia and in the short time that he has been involved in GOPAC, has been a strong supporter of the organization and the fight against corruption.
Mr. Hyde was first elected as the MLA in February 2001, as part of the new Labor Government. He was re-elected at the 2005 and 2008 State Elections. He is currently the Shadow Minister of Culture and the Arts; Heritage; Multicultural Interests and Citizenship. In 2007, he was sworn in as Parliamentary Secretary to the Attorney-General, Minister for Health and Electoral Affairs and held that post until Labor’s loss of the 2008 election. In 2008, he was elected Deputy Chairman of the Joint Standing Committee on the Corruption and Crime Commission (JSCCC) and re-elected Chairman of the JSCCC in 2009. In previous Parliaments, Mr. Hyde was elected Deputy
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Chairman between 2001 and 2005 and first chaired the JSCCC from 2005-2007.
GOPAC and Mr. Hyde’s fellow Board Members look forward to working with him in the fight against corruption in Australia and around the world.
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Partnering to Win the Fight Against Corruption in Burkina Faso |
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The legitimacy of political systems and institutions depends largely on the ability of the national representation to perform oversight and hold its executive to account. To ensure they are fully capable of performing these duties parliamentarians need to strengthen their oversight knowledge and skills.
This past May, the Burkindi Network, GOPAC’s National Chapter in Burkina Faso, hosted a workshop for Members of Parliament and civil society organizations to strengthen the capacity of national elected officials on the fundamentals of budget analysis and the fight
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against corruption. The event was a partnership between the Burkindi Network, the Committee on Finance and Budget (COMFIB) of the National Assembly and the National Democratic Institute (NDI).
The workshop provided a forum for knowledge sharing on budget analysis and the fight against corruption. It also allowed participants to revisit the budgetary control procedures implemented within the framework of the current legislature and discuss the tools and methods for reestablishing budgetary control conducted by the National Assembly.
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GOPAC’s strength lies with its dedicated and passionate membership. Our members come from all over the world and volunteer their time in hopes of creating a more prosperous and promising world where corruption is a thing of the past. Included in this group is the Honourable Amadou Bouaré who is the Chair of African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption – Mali (APNAC-Mali), our GOPAC National Chapter in Mali. He first joined GOPAC in November 2008. Below are his thoughts on GOPAC and his fight against corruption.
Why did you want to become a member of GOPAC?
“In my capacity as parliamentarian and as Chair of APNAC-Mali, I became part of GOPAC to make the actions taken by parliamentarians in the fight against corruption clearer and more visible. Beyond the traditional goals of parliamentarians such as passing laws and controling government action, parliamentarians involved in GOPAC can also lead and participate in education initiatives on issues relating to corruption.
“I am convinced that individual actions in the fight against corruption will have no legal, institutional and geographical effect in each of our countries if there are no links made between countries. GOPAC provides us with the appropriate institutional framework to create these links.
“In addition, GOPAC provides other networks and National Chapters with the opportunity to boost their local anti-corruption initiatives and the space for sharing their knowledge and experience.”
What have you accomplished to date in your fight against corruption?
“In accordance with our plan of action passed in June 2008, members of APNAC-Mali have achieved the following innitiatives:
- A study of political corruption in the electoral process in Mali. This original study which was funded by UNDP allowed those involved in politics in Mali to appreciate the complexity and depth of political corruption and to share conclusions and recommendations.
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- Three workshops in response to the aforementioned study for the National Assembly of Mali, the Council of Local Authorities and for political parties in Mali. Nearly 350 participants participated in these discussions.
- The facilitation of training workshops for civil society organizations on the process of enacting legislation by the National Assembly and role of parliamentary oversight.
- Participation as a panelist and facilitator at a workshop on the budget as a tool for executive control by parliament. Funded by NDI, this workshop brought together nearly 100 participants composed of legislators, state technical services, specialists in the fight against corruption, lawyers, and civil society.
- Membership in the International Working Group on the implementation of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC). As such, we helped test the UNDP selfassessment tool for parliamentarians.
- Also, in our capacity as member of APNAC, we helped to mobilize and encourage members of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo - Brazzaville, Gabon, Guinea-Conakry to establish national chapters of APNAC in their countries.”
What do you still hope to accomplish in your fight against corruption?
“My hope for the future is that we will eliminate corruption in all countries and continents around the world and especially in Mali. While this may seem an absurd dream, I believe the ideal is what must be sought for parliamentarians and stakeholder organizations to fight corruption at the local and global level. Moving forward we are committed to accomplishing:
- Continued advocacy at the community level in Mali, including youth and women against political corruption in the electoral process;
- A wide distribution of reports of the Auditor General of Mali;
- Translation of the UNCAC into Mali’s national languages and ensuring its dissemination throughout Mali;
- Continued involvement in GOPAC Global Task Forces (GTFs), in particular the GTF-UNCAC.”
What advice can you give to new parliamentarians wanting to form chapters in their countries?
“For parliamentarians of all countries in Africa and the world, we would encourage them to embark resolutely on the creation and facilitation of the GOPAC National Chapter in their respective countries. It is through joint efforts to facilitate workshops, share information, participate in a strict control of government action that parliamentarians successfully fight corruption.”
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