AFRICA MUST FIGHT CORRUPTION TO ENSURE ECONOMIC RECOVERY, DIRECTOR OF UN REGIONAL CRIME INSTITUTE SAYS
UNITED-NATIONS
Press Release
AFR/121
SOC/NAR/791
_________________________________________________________________
AFRICA MUST FIGHT CORRUPTION TO ENSURE ECONOMIC RECOVERY, DIRECTOR OF UN
REGIONAL CRIME INSTITUTE SAYS
19981218
_________________________________________________________________
__KAMPALA, 18 December (UN Information Service) -- "Africa is on the
receiving end of the worst consequences of organized and economic
crime." That comment was made today by Isam Abugideri, Director of the
Kampala-based United Nations African Institute for the Prevention of
Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (UNAFRI), stressing the potential
value of a convention against transnational organized crime, currently
being prepared by the United Nations.
Fighting corruption, he said, was one of the top priorities for the
region, where economic development and living standards could be
drastically affected by such criminal conduct as bribery,
price-fixing, smuggling and currency offenses. A recent regional
United Nations meeting on crime issues had sent a "clear message" on
that point, he added.
The African Regional Preparatory Meeting for the Tenth United Nations
Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders --
held here last week -- had declared that the "root causes of
corruption have to be addressed, and the political will to combat it
has to be accompanied by instruments designed to bring the
perpetrators to justice".
Government representatives attending that meeting had noted that "the
high economic and political status of perpetrators of corrupt
practices and the circumstances under which such crimes are committed
make law enforcement agencies relatively powerless, decreasing the
likelihood of the perpetrators being reported or prosecuted".
Delegates had stressed that "transparency, good governance and an
independent judicial system" were vital for ensuring the rule of law
and economic regeneration in Africa.
A South African delegate who attended the meeting said the countries
of Africa also want more attention on the international disarmament
agenda for the problem of arms trafficking, which was a "well-rooted
and highly profitable illegal business in Africa". The regional
meeting, she said, had seen a need for programmes for the collection
and destruction of firearms and reward schemes using development
projects.
The Tenth United Nations Crime Congress will be held in Vienna from 10
to 17 April 2000. Regional preparatory meetings have taken place in
Bangkok, for the Asia-Pacific region, and in Beirut, for Western Asia.
A further preparatory meeting will be held in San Jose, Costa Rica,