Rwanda to host UN anti-corruption meet

KIGALI - Rwanda has been selected to host the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) continental meeting to assess how anti-corruption institutions in Africa are faring. Rwanda’s Ombudsman Tito Rutaremara confirmed the development yesterday adding that “Rwanda has also been asked to present a paper in the meeting.” The two-day meeting is slated to take place between February 16 and 17. According to a document posted on UNECA website, several debates will be conducted during the meeting on ‘Assessing the Efficiency and Impact of National Anti-Corruption Institutions in Africa’. Of late, a study was conducted by UNECA on the assessment of the efficiency and impact of national’s anti-corruption institutions in Africa. The study also presents an in-depth survey of the scale, dimension and nature of the problem in Africa. “The study presents a detailed examination of the work of national anti-corruption institutions across the continent and looks how well they do and don’t work. The study will also be launched at the end of the meeting,” said the commission’s statement. It adds that the study, prepared by the UNECA reviews international instruments and frameworks on anti-corruption, including the United Nations Convention against Corruption, the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption, as well as other major international, regional and sub-regional instruments. Rwanda has globally been recognised for its efficient and effective fight against corruption by improved technical capacity of anti-corruption institutions and involvement of non-State actors like the media, civil society, NGOs and international organizations in the fight against the vice. The country’s hosting of the international meeting comes a few days after the establishment of an anti-corruption body that is made up of several government agencies. The body that is coordinated by the Office of the Ombudsman is also made up of several institutions including the Rwanda National Police and the National Public Prosecutions Authority and it reports to the Office of the President. Ends