Media reports of corruption arising from coronavirus-related aid and emergency procurement are starting to circulate. Crises such as the current one, in common with natural disaster situations, inevitably increase the risks of corruption. And that increases the importance of strong corruption prevention.

Mary Phombeya is Director of Corruption Prevention at the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Malawi. In this short text for our 2019 Annual Report, she explains what the ACB is doing to prevent corruption in Malawi with the help of the Basel Institute, and particularly our Public Governance team.

Through our corruption prevention initiatives at the ACB, we are laying a firm foundation for the fight against corruption in Malawi. I believe our efforts will have a positive impact in the near future and contribute to the betterment of Malawi in the long term.

The continued and unwavering support of the Basel Institute on Governance in these corruption prevention initiatives is invaluable.

A training workshop delivered by the Basel Institute’s Public Governance team to Officers in the Prevention and Education Department has created a strong base for implementation of our Anti-Corruption Research and Anti-Corruption Interventions.

The Basel Institute has also ably coordinated the implementation of a Corruption Risk Assessment Project, which has been piloted in four District Councils. This helped us to unearth corruption risks and to develop, in conjunction with the Councils, appropriate mitigation measures.

Lastly, I would like to mention our new National Anti-Corruption Strategy, which we launched in 2019. During the review, the Basel Institute’s team helped us conduct a series of thorough nationwide consultations across all sectors. This has proved vital in ensuring the new strategy is inclusive, relevant and meets the needs of all Malawians. 

Find out more

• Learn more about Malawi's National Anti-Corruption Strategy II (NACS II) and why we believe it's a state-of-the-art approach.
• See a timeline of the NACS II review and how we supported the process.
• Learn about the Public Governance team's training workshops and technical assistance services in support of corruption prevention initiatives.