The third day of the 15th Commonwealth Regional Conference for Heads of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Africa featured a comprehensive agenda focused on international financial crime, cross-border enforcement, and the establishment of sustainable anti-corruption frameworks. A keynote presentation by Sarah Gabriel and Jonathan Tickner from Peters & Peters Solicitors LLP examined the notorious "Mozambique Tuna Bond" scandal, a significant example of transnational corruption. The speakers emphasised how the English Commercial Court's decisive action in handling this case illustrates the importance of independent judicial institutions in holding powerful actors accountable and recovering stolen assets across different jurisdictions.
Following this, regional country presentations from Kenya and Eswatini shared valuable lessons and strategies tailored to their respective anti-corruption contexts. The agenda then shifted to the issue of illicit financial flows, with Simon Marsh from the International Centre for Asset Recovery leading an informative session on the challenges and solutions faced by investigators and prosecutors when tracing laundered proceeds of corruption.
Justice Richard Goldstone of Integrity Initiatives International discussed the importance of global accountability mechanisms while proposing the establishment of an International Anti-Corruption Court. South Africa’s Thembiso Magajane passionately addressed the need for designing ethical leadership legacies for future generations. Meanwhile, Shakilla Jhungeer explored how artificial intelligence can enhance Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) frameworks.
The day also included presentations from Togo, Cameroon, Malawi, Nigeria, and Mozambique, highlighting each country's experiences, progress, and ongoing challenges. In conclusion, Yasmin E. Bacus of South Africa’s Public Service Commission emphasised the critical role that public service institutions play in promoting integrity and embedding accountability throughout governance systems.
