Zimbabwe
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Southern Africa’s fight against corruption needs Collective Action
A high-level meeting of heads of anti-corruption agencies in the Southern African Development Community SADC last month was a chance to take stock of member countries’ efforts to tackle corruption. The meeting allowed for a reflection on many ongoing activities and discussions around Collective Action in the region this year. It was the perfect opportunity to reflect on how to galvanise joint efforts against the region’s biggest scourge. Speaking to delegates, Scarlet Wannenwetsch, Collective Action Specialist, highlighted the underused capacity of the private sector. Businesses are full of dynamism and talent, both of which are critical in fighting corruption and other transnational crimes. To harness the private sector’s potential, she emphasised the importance of building trust by fostering regional multi-stakeholder networks. Bringing together anti-corruption champions from the public sector, private sector and civil society helps to create “good” networks – ones powerful enough to fight the corrupt networks that are holding back development in the region. Appetite for engagement The Basel Institute has been a long-standing partner of the SADC Secretariat through the work of the Private Sector team. Our team has been impressed by the level of innovation in the region. Some feature in a publication capturing good practices that was created by, with and for anti-corruption agencies in Africa. We have also been training SADC corruption prevention officers on how to engage with the private sector through Collective Action approaches. Our partners consistently express a desire for more opportunities to engage and exchange with other stakeholders. They realise that no one group can tackle corruption alone. Working towards building a community of practice To sow the seeds for such a regional multi-stakeholder network, we launched the first Southern African Anti-Corruption Collective Action Forum earlier this year in collaboration with the Southern African Anti-Corruption Network SAACoN and The Ethics Institute. The event brought together participants from the private sector, civil society and government institutions to discuss concrete opportunities for learning and collaboration. For many, it was the first time they had met at the regional level. The event was also a chance to celebrate progress. CoST Uganda won our Southern Africa Anti-Corruption Collective Action Award for its outstanding achievements in tackling corruption and raising business integrity in the region. What’s next? In order to build on the momentum of the Forum and on the energy of the SADC region’s anti-corruption leaders, it is crucial that member states continue to prioritise collaboration and Collective Action. Government anti-corruption agencies needs close, sustained collaboration with the private sector and civil society if they want to develop a more inclusive strategy to prevent corruption – and if they want that strategy to actually work in practice. That applies not only at the country and sector level, but at the regional level too. And that’s what Collective Action can bring. We look forward to continuing our fruitful collaboration with the SADC Secretariat and wider partners to support anti-corruption Collective Action in the region. Learn more about our work on the B20 Collective Action Hub and find inspiration in its global database of initiatives.
Financial investigations training for Zimbabwean anti-corruption officers
Our International Centre for Asset Recovery ICAR training team was in the Zimbabwean capital Harare at the end of April to deliver our flagship Financial Investigations and Asset Recovery training programme. The 23 participants in the week-long intensive workshop were mostly investigators and prosecutors from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission ZACC , the National Prosecuting Authority NPA , the Financial Intelligence Unit FIU and the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority ZIMRA . These four agencies are all key stakeholders in fighting corruption and money laundering in Zimbabwe. Hon. Justice L. Matanda Moyo, Chairperson of ZACC, stated in her opening remarks that the training is part of a wider multidisciplinary approach to fighting corruption in Zimbabwe. It is the result of inter-agency cooperation in which, among other topics, the stakeholder agencies identify areas of joint training needs. ICAR training programmes regularly bring officers from different agencies together for intensive, hands-on workshops such as this. This approach has proven to have clear benefits in promoting inter-agency relationships and cooperation. Essential skills for complex investigations The training provided the participants with the essential skills and simple but yet powerful tools to handle high-profile and complex financial investigations. As one participant commented: The course was very informative…. a lot of grey areas in money laundering have been cleared. I am looking forward to delivering excellence after this training. The course also assisted me in dissecting and understanding the relevant sections \ of our laws\ on money laundering. Simulated investigation The participants were immersed in a simulated corruption and money-laundering investigation during which they actively followed investigative leads, made decisions and analysed and solved problems, using the Zimbabwean legal framework. The experience also allowed them to reflect upon the challenges that such investigations entail and possible solutions to overcome them. A participant commented: The teaching methods were excellent, the clarifications clear and the lectures insightful. I return to my organisation better equipped and more knowledgeable. Ongoing collaboration with international support The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GIZ sponsored the training, which took place under a case consultancy agreement signed between ZACC, NPA and ICAR. Under the agreement, ICAR provides among other things technical support and training in asset recovery, as well as expertise in obtaining evidence from other jurisdictions to assist domestic prosecutions.
Scoping Zimbabwe’s capacity to investigate corruption and recover stolen assets
Following the financial trail is a daunting task, said Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo, Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission ZACC , at the start of a scoping mission by the Basel Institute’s International Centre for Asset Recovery ICAR . But, she continued, although asset recovery is complex and reliant on international cooperation, it is the most effective way to curb corruption. What legal provisions does Zimbabwe have for recovering assets stolen through corruption? What are the country’s investigative capabilities and procedures? What are the challenges in investigating and prosecuting corruption and money laundering in Zimbabwe – and in recovering the proceeds of those crimes? These are some of the questions ICAR experts explored during their four-day scoping mission in the Zimbabwean capital of Harare from 9–13 March 2020. The answers will enable them to design a highly effective, Zimbabwe-specific training programme in financial investigations and asset recovery. Justice Matanda-Moyo emphasised the importance of involving all relevant stakeholders. Everyone, she said, needs to achieve the same level of knowledge. Plus, asset recovery cases almost inevitably involve parallel criminal and financial investigations. The ICAR delegation therefore met with investigators and prosecutors at both ZACC and the National Prosecuting Authority NPA . Most were involved in the prosecution of economic crime, international co-operation and the forfeiture and recovery of stolen assets. Other representatives were from the Judicial Service Commission, Financial Intelligence Unit FIU , Central Bank, Office of the Attorney General, Zimbabwe Republic Police and Zimbabwe Revenue Authority ZIMRA . Further reading Article in Harare-based newspaper The Herald: ZACC in asset recovery workshop. Learn more about ICAR training programmes in financial investigations and asset recovery. Read Phyllis Atkinson’s quick guide to effective training on financial investigations.