Liza Young
Publications and news by Liza Young.
Publications
Engaging the private sector in Collective Action against corruption: A practical guide for anti-corruption agencies in Africa
This guidance seeks to capture and explore the innovative approaches that African governments have developed to address the demand and supply sides of corruption more effectively and sustainably. It is designed to help government institutions, in particular national anti-corruption agencies, engage with the private sector more effectively to prevent corruption.
The document highlights good practices identified through interviews, desk research and a 2021 Southern African Development Community (SADC) training on “Emerging anti-corruption issues and private-sector engagement for SADC anti-corruption agencies”.
Africa offers many examples of innovative, unique and context-sensitive approaches to engage the private sector in anti-corruption efforts. Ghana’s National Anti-Corruption Action Plan, for instance, offers an award scheme and is looking into providing tax benefits to companies that enforce anti-corruption measures and demonstrate leadership in the fight against corruption. Other agencies and governments in the region, such as Morocco, are currently discussing implementing a reward system for compliant companies that can be considered when companies bid for public tenders.
These examples demonstrate how African governments proactively seek to tackle corruption and collaborate with the private sector.
From the initiatives captured, three common strategic approaches can be identified to underpin effective and impactful engagement:
- Raising awareness, guiding and working with the private sector to more effectively address corruption risks.
- Identifying and providing incentives to companies investing in their compliance programmes.
- Demonstrating leadership by actively participating in Collective Action and public-private partnerships.
This document is a follow-up of a practical global guide published in July 2022 and was produced with the support of the Siemens Integrity Initiative.
It is freely shareable under a Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence. Please credit the Basel Institute on Governance.
Policy Brief 11: Fighting corruption in West African coastal states: how Collective Action can help
Africa is estimated to lose an unbelievable USD 88.6 billion (3.7% of Africa’s GDP) each year to illicit financial flows, of which corruption is a major component. Rooting out corruption is a collective effort, and the private sector has a major role to play in laying down the foundations for clean business environments and sustainable development.
That is why anti-corruption Collective Action has got so much to offer Africa, and in particular West African coastal states keen to maximise their clear economic potential. As the spectrum of Collective Action initiatives is quite large, it allows for innovative measures where governments, companies and civil society organisations (CSOs) can join forces toward a common objective, despite their different perspectives. This collaborative approach therefore provides a fertile ground for constructive dialogue between like-minded stakeholders, as well as an opportunity to understand the private sector’s language and reality.
CSOs have an important part to play in bringing Collective Action to the fight against corruption in West Africa. They must continue to initiate, facilitate and engage in Collective Action initiatives to help raise awareness and build bridges. Their presence can bring credibility, independent oversight and accountability to the initiatives.
This Policy Brief is based on conversations held with CSOs based in Benin (Social Watch Benin), Ghana (Ghana Integrity Initiative), Ivory Coast (Ivorian Youth Leaders’ Network) and Togo (The Togolese National Agency for Consumers and the Environment). It aims to capture their experiences, challenges and outlook on what the future for Collective Action could hold in the region.
Despite their different backgrounds, they are united on one point: fighting corruption collectively by raising the voice of the private sector is an important step to pave the way for sustainable economic growth.
About this Policy Brief
This publication is part of the Basel Institute on Governance Policy Brief series, ISSN 2624-9669, and supports the Basel Institute’s work on anti-corruption Collective Action with funding from the Siemens Integrity Initiative.
It is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). Suggested citation: Young, Liza. 2022. “Fighting corruption in West African coastal states: how Collective Action can help.” Policy Brief 11, Basel Institute on Governance. Available at: baselgovernance.org/pb-11.
Policy Brief 11: Lutte contre la corruption dans les États côtiers d’Afrique de l’Ouest : comment l’Action Collective peut aider
Chaque année, les flux financiers illicites, dont la corruption est une composante majeure, font perdre environ 88,6 milliards de dollars (3,7 % de son PIB) à l’Afrique. La lutte contre ce fléau est un effort collectif et le secteur privé a un rôle majeur à jouer dans la promotion d’un environnement économique prospère et d’un développement durable du continent.
C’est pourquoi l’Action Collective contre la corruption a tant à offrir à l’Afrique, et en particulier aux États côtiers d’Afrique de l’Ouest désireux de maximiser leur potentiel économique. Le spectre des initiatives d’Action Collective étant assez large, il permet des mesures innovantes où gouvernements, entreprises et organisations de la société civile (OSC) unissent leurs forces, malgré des intérêts parfois divergents. Cette approche collaborative constitue à la fois un terrain fertile pour un dialogue constructif, et une occasion de mieux comprendre les réalités du secteur privé.
Les OSC ont également un rôle important à jouer dans la promotion de l’Action Collective en Afrique de l’Ouest. Elles doivent continuer à initier, faciliter et s’engager dans des initiatives d’Action Collective pour aider à sensibiliser et construire des ponts entre différentes parties prenantes. Leur présence apporte souvent transparence et crédibilité aux initiatives. Les résultats présentés dans ce Policy Brief sont issus d’échanges avec des OSC basées au Bénin (Social Watch Bénin), au Ghana (Ghana Integrity Initiative), en Côte d’Ivoire (Le Réseau des jeunes leaders pour l’intégrité) et au Togo (L’Alliance nationale des consommateurs et de l’environnement). Il vise à relater les défis et les opportunités que représente l’Action Collective dans la région.
Malgré les différents contextes dans lesquels elles opèrent, ces organisations sont unies sur un point : lutter collectivement contre la corruption en faisant entendre la voix du secteur privé – élément crucial pour une croissance économique durable.
About this Policy Brief
Cette publication fait partie de la série des Policy Briefs du Basel Institute on Governance, ISSN 2624-9669. Elle est publiée sous licence Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
Citation suggérée : Young, L. 2022. « Corruption dans les États côtiers d’Afrique de l’Ouest : comment l’Action Collective peut aider ». Policy Brief 11, Basel Institute on Governance. Disponible sur : baselgovernance.org/pb11.
Le Policy Brief est publié par l’équipe Secteur privé du Basel Institute on Governance. Il s’inscrit dans le cadre des efforts continus de l’équipe pour développer et promouvoir l’Action Collective anti-corruption, avec le soutien de la Siemens Integrity Initiative.
INmagazine - 5th International Collective Action Conference
This article, published in the INmagazine by TEiD in collaboration with the Basel Institute on Governance, revisits the 5th International Collective Action Conference held in Basel, Switzerland, in June 2024.
The author, Liza Young, provides a comprehensive overview of the event, focusing on key insights from the 2024 edition “Putting Business Integrity on the Global Agenda”. She particularly emphasises how Collective Action practitioners can collaborate more effectively by learning from each other’s challenges and successes, fostering the very essence of the Collective Action approach to enhance integrity and anti-corruption efforts.
News and blog
Paris, Vilnius, Basel: Business integrity goes on tour
Paris is known as the city of love. But once a year, during the OECD Global Anti-Corruption Forum GACIF , it also becomes the beating heart of integrity – at least for the anti-corruption community. Under the theme “Designing our future with integrity”, this year’s Forum brought together anti-corruption experts from business, government and civil society from around the world to explore trends in the fight for integrity and against corruption. Amid the global upheavals of the past year, how did this year’s Forum differ from previous editions? And how is the private sector adapting to these evolutions? A few takeaways from our Private Sector team are below. 1 – Celebrating the OECD Convention’s relevance for business 2024 marked the 25th anniversary of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, which recognises Collective Action as a best practice through its complementary 2021 Recommendation. In the presence of the French and Ukrainian Ministers of Justice, the Convention’s anniversary provided impetus to reflect on its many notable successes, as well as the challenges ahead. Discussions recalled the unprecedented importance and relevance of the Convention in ensuring equitable and sustainable global trade. 2 – Major evolutions in integrity and compliance This GACIF also saw the launch of the OECD Anti-Corruption and Integrity Outlook, which assesses the effectiveness of Member States’ integrity efforts, and highlights key developments and trends in anti-corruption. These include the emerging risks in the energy transition, the increasing use of technology in corruption schemes and the growing threats of foreign interference. Speakers discussed the evolving functions of compliance officers and the need to strengthen their role. A key message was the need for compliance roles to evolve from operational to strategic positions within companies. 3 – Participation in shaping business integrity Multiple global crises are impacting the way business is done internationally, reinforcing the role companies play in global anti-corruption efforts. As a result, this year’s GACIF saw a strong private-sector presence, both in terms of attendance and topics discussed. We already saw this trend at the last major anti-corruption event in December 2023 – the 10th session of the Conference of the States Parties CoSP to the United Nations Convention against Corruption UNCAC – where the private sector showed a strong appetite to participate in shaping the global business integrity agenda. 4 – Collective Action is crucial for integrity and fair competition The increased business presence at this year’s GACIF meant that Collective Action was at the centre of many discussions. It was consistently presented as a crucial tool to raise standards of business integrity and level the playing field. The Basel Institute’s session as a GACIF Knowledge Partner on enhancing transparency in the critical infrastructure sector highlighted that: ● Collective Action allows for tailored solutions for each industry. This is demonstrated by the World Economic Forum's Partnering Against Corruption Initiative PACI , whose approach acknowledges that corruption-related challenges differ across industries. ● Integrity Pacts can provide strong incentives for business integrity and create a learning platform for smaller actors in the infrastructure sector to improve their compliance capacity. ● Initiatives such as CoST – the Infrastructure Transparency Initiative are driving long-term policy reform and providing evidence for better decision making, leading to higher-quality infrastructure. 5 – Leaders call for harmonised standards Public-private cooperation was a focus of the OECD’s Anti-Corruption Leaders Hub annual meeting at the forum. This multi-stakeholder community of chief compliance officers and integrity leaders from government and civil society facilitates dialogue on pressing challenges and opportunities. In one of her last public events before her tragic passing on 6 April 2024, Gretta Fenner, the Basel Institute’s Managing Director, moderated a roundtable discussion on bridging the implementation gap between international anti-corruption standards and national policies. Private-sector participants shared how they are responding to the practical challenges of operating globally under misaligned standards, and called on governments to harmonise expectations of businesses. 6 – Opportunities for peer learning and dialogue In a session on innovative peer learning programmes, Vanessa Hans, Head of the Basel Institute’s Private Sector team, highlighted the importance of creating safe spaces for open communication and constructive criticism when dealing with sensitive topics such as corruption. There are many opportunities for anti-corruption and compliance professionals to exchange with each other in a neutral, mutually supportive way. These include dedicated Collective Action initiatives that focus on peer learning and jointly raising standards, such as the Wolfsberg Group, Metals Technology Initiative or many of the other initiatives included in our global database. An interesting current programme for compliance officers initiated by the OECD and Basel Institute on Governance is Compliance without Borders. The programme matches compliance professionals from private companies and state-owned enterprises to exchange experiences, build expertise and discover new anti-corruption systems, techniques and solutions. What’s next? Business integrity is touring Europe After Paris, lovers of business integrity are heading east, to Vilnius, Lithuania, before ending their tour in Basel, Switzerland. Transparency International’s flagship International Anti-Corruption Conference IACC will come to Vilnius from 18 to 21 June 2024 with a dedicated track on “Building a Global Ethical Economy: Advancing Business Integrity and Its Leaders”. A week later, the Basel Institute will convene the global Collective Action community for its 5th International Collective Action Conference. The in-person event will showcase Collective Action as a holistic approach to fighting and preventing corruption, and highlight the Basel Institute’s role in building a global community of practice for Collective Action. The draft agenda is available here. Our annual Anti-Corruption Collective Action Awards will also be presented at the conference – keep an eye out for the public vote here.
Business integrity in West Africa: New opportunities for Collective Action
West Africa is experiencing a surge of economic growth and foreign direct investment. Yet it also loses billions of dollars in illicit financial flows, of which corruption is a major component. Rooting out corruption is essential to attract investors and foster sustainable development. This is why anti-corruption Collective Action – jointly tackling corruption issues through multi-stakeholder initiatives with the private sector – has so much to offer West African states keen to maximise their economic potential. Advancing the global anticorruption agenda from West Africa How can Collective Action help to address corruption risks and ensure sustainable economic growth in West Africa? That question was at the heart of the World Bank’s International Corruption Hunters Alliance ICHA Forum, which for the first time took place in Africa. 350 participants from governments, international organisations, the private sector, civil society and academia from over 80 countries travelled to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire to talk about challenges and solutions in advancing the global anticorruption agenda. Collective Action was high up on the list of solutions: Governments and international organisations shared how they support companies throughout their compliance journey. The French Anti-Corruption Agency AFA and the World Bank presented their private sector mentoring programmes, with the World Bank explaining how debarred companies – after being released from debarment – are encouraged to mentor other debarred companies. Vanessa Hans, Head of Private Sector at the Basel Institute, showcased Collective Action initiatives in West Africa that work to strengthen integrity and compliance programmes of small and medium enterprises SMEs . One such initiative is the African Certification of Corporate Governance programme led by Eurocham, which supports Ivorian SMEs in implementing good corporate governance measures. The award-winning Maritime Anti-Corruption Network MACN initiative in Nigeria offered inspiration on how Collective Action between shipping companies and port authorities has significantly reduced bribe demands in Nigerian ports. The final Call for Collective Action sent a strong and encouraging message for the advancement of Collective Action in West Africa, recognising “the important role of the private sector” and supporting “further engagement between government and business and civil society”. Translating opportunities into realities Between April 2020 and June 2022, the World Bank approved an “unprecedented total of USD 28.5 billion in lending for 234 projects covering key priority sectors in West and Central Africa”. These investments offer a unique opportunity for stakeholders, including bidding companies, to launch Collective Action initiatives in the region. The incentive: aligning with the General Principles for Business Integrity Programmes recently published by six multilateral development banks MDBs including the World Bank. Among these principles, Collective Action is mentioned as a way to encourage business entities to develop strong and effective integrity programmes. At a joint integrity compliance workshop of the World Bank and African Development Bank at the IHCA Forum, companies discussed the benefits of strong integrity and compliance programmes when working in West Africa and elsewhere. All agreed on the need for tailored training of in-country personnel exposed to risks, stronger collaboration between companies and peer learning – all common focuses of Collective Action initiatives. The crucial role of civil society Civil society in West Africa has an important role to play when it comes to implementing Collective Action and promoting business integrity. Civil society organisations CSOs are typically instrumental in facilitating dialogue and bringing multiple stakeholders together. In light of these new opportunities for multistakeholder engagement in the region, CSOs need make their voice heard and play their part in the implementation of the Call for Action. What can CSOs in West Africa bring to the table? One can take inspiration from the Réseau Ivoirien des Jeunes Leaders pour l'Intégrité RIJLI ,which has been a member of the Basel Institute’s Collective Action mentoring programme since 2022 and has since shown a strong commitment to advancing responsible business conduct in the country. Building on the momentum of the ICHA Forum, the Basel Institute co-organised a workshop in Abidjan with RIJLI’s eight member organisations to take stock of the latest Collective Action developments in Côte d’Ivoire. This discussion led to constructive and valuable exchange on how civil society organisations can engage with the private sector to promote business integrity and build bridges between different stakeholders in the Ivoirian context. One participant mentioned: This discussion has opened our eyes to different ways of fighting corruption. Collective Action is about co-creating. Everyone deserves a seat at the table. Looking ahead: from isolated efforts to working hand in hand It is great to see more and more actors endorsing Collective Action in their anti-corruption activities and standard-setting documents. It marks a welcome shift from isolated anti-corruption efforts to actively working hand in hand with all stakeholders, especially the private sector. The recent developments in the region have set a precedent for the advancement of Collective Action for more impactful and effective corruption prevention measures. To capture these developments, the Basel Institute has published a practical guide in English and French which spotlights innovative approaches that African governments have developed to address corruption more effectively and sustainably. We look forward to continuing to help local stakeholders bring the power of Collective Action to West Africa for a fair, sustainable and dynamic business environment. Learn more Policy Brief 11: Fighting corruption in West African coastal states: how Collective Action can help, by Liza Young also in French . Explore our global database of Collective Action initiatives on the B20 Collective Action Hub resource centre.
Intégrité des affaires en Afrique de l'Ouest : de nouvelles opportunités pour l’Action Collective
Dernièrement, l'Afrique de l'Ouest a connu une forte croissance économique et des investissements directs étrangers. Pourtant, elle perd aussi des milliards de dollars en flux financiers illicites, dont la corruption est une composante majeure. L'éradication de la corruption est essentielle pour attirer les investisseurs et favoriser le développement durable. C'est pourquoi l'Action Collective pour la lutte contre la corruption, qui consiste à s'attaquer conjointement aux problèmes de corruption par le biais d'initiatives multi-acteurs avec le secteur privé, a tant à offrir aux États d'Afrique de l'Ouest désireux de maximiser leur potentiel économique. Contribuer à l’avancement programme mondial de lutte contre la corruption depuis l’Afrique de l’Ouest Comment l'Action Collective peut-elle aider à faire face aux risques de corruption et à assurer une croissance économique durable en Afrique de l'Ouest ? Cette question était au cœur du Forum de l'Alliance internationale anti-corruption ICHA du Groupe de la Banque mondiale, qui s'est tenu pour la première fois en Afrique. 350 participants issus de gouvernements, d'organisations internationales, du secteur privé, de la société civile et du monde universitaire de plus de 80 pays se sont rendus à Abidjan, en Côte d'Ivoire, pour discuter des défis et des solutions à mettre en œuvre pour contribuer à l’avancement du programme mondial de lutte contre la corruption. Parmi les solutions proposées, l'Action Collective figurait en en haut de la liste : Les gouvernements et les organisations internationales ont fait part de la manière dont ils soutiennent les entreprises tout au long de leur parcours de conformité. L'Agence française anticorruption AFA et la Banque mondiale ont présenté leurs programmes de mentorat du secteur privé, la Banque mondiale expliquant comment les entreprises sanctionnées - après avoir été libérées des sanctions - sont encouragées à accompagner d'autres entreprises exclues dans leur mise en conformité. Vanessa Hans, responsable du secteur privé à l'Institut de Bâle, a présenté des initiatives d'Action Collective en Afrique de l'Ouest qui visent à renforcer les programmes d'intégrité et de conformité des petites et moyennes entreprises PME . Parmi ces initiatives figure le programme de certification africaine de la gouvernance d'entreprise mené par la Chambre de commerce européenne en Côte d’Ivoire Eurocham, qui soutient les PME ivoiriennes dans la mise en œuvre de mesures de bonne gouvernance d'entreprise. L'initiative primée du Réseau maritime anti-corruption MACN au Nigeria a permis de démontrer comment l'Action Collective entre les entreprises maritimes et les autorités portuaires a réduit de manière significative les demandes de pots-de-vin dans les ports nigérians. L'appel à l'Action Collective émis à l’issue du Forum a envoyé un message fort et encourageant pour la promotion de l'Action Collective en Afrique de l'Ouest, reconnaissant "le rôle important du secteur privé" et soutenant "un engagement plus poussé entre le gouvernement, les entreprises et la société civile". Transformer les opportunités en réalités Entre avril 2020 et juin 2022, la Banque mondiale a approuvé un "total inédit de 28,5 milliards de dollars de prêts pour 234 projets couvrant des secteurs prioritaires clés en Afrique de l'Ouest et en Afrique centrale". Ces investissements offrent une occasion unique aux parties prenantes, y compris les entreprises soumissionnaires, de lancer des initiatives d'Action Collective dans la région. L'incitation : s'aligner sur les Principes généraux pour les programmes d'intégrité des entreprises récemment publiés par six banques multilatérales de développement BMD , dont la Banque mondiale. Parmi ces principes, l'Action Collective est mentionnée comme un moyen d'encourager les entreprises à développer des programmes d'intégrité solides et efficaces. Lors d'un atelier organisé conjointement par la Banque mondiale et la Banque africaine de développement BAD dans le cadre du forum de l'ICHA, les entreprises travaillant en Afrique de l’Ouest ont discuté des avantages de programmes solides en matière d'intégrité et de conformité. Toutes se sont accordées sur la nécessité d'une formation sur mesure du personnel local exposé aux risques, d'une collaboration plus étroite entre les entreprises et d'un apprentissage par les pairs, autant de points communs aux initiatives d'Action Collective. Le rôle crucial de la société civile La société civile en Afrique de l'Ouest a un rôle important à jouer dans la mise en œuvre de l'Action Collective et la promotion de l'intégrité des entreprises. Les organisations de la société civile OSC contribuent généralement à faciliter le dialogue et à rassembler de multiples parties prenantes autour d’une même table. À la lumière de ces nouvelles opportunités d'engagement dans la région, les OSC doivent faire entendre leur voix et jouer leur rôle dans la mise en œuvre de l'appel à l'action. Que peuvent apporter les OSC d'Afrique de l'Ouest ? On peut s'inspirer du Réseau Ivoirien des Jeunes Leaders pour l'Intégrité RIJLI , qui est membre du programme de mentorat de l'Institut de Bâle depuis 2022 et qui a depuis montré un fort engagement à faire progresser la conduite responsable des affaires dans le pays. Sur la lancée du Forum ICHA, l'Institut de Bâle a co-organisé un atelier à Abidjan avec les huit organisations membres de RIJLI pour faire le point sur les derniers développements en matière d'Action Collective en Côte d'Ivoire. Cette discussion a donné lieu à des échanges constructifs et précieux sur la manière dont les organisations de la société civile peuvent s'engager avec le secteur privé pour promouvoir l'intégrité des entreprises et construire des ponts entre les différentes parties prenantes dans le contexte ivoirien. Un participant a mentionné : "Cette discussion nous a ouvert les yeux sur différentes façons de lutter contre la corruption. L'Action Collective, c’est la cocréation. Tout le monde mérite de s'asseoir à la table". Regarder vers l’avenir: du travail en silos au travail collectif Il est formidable de voir de plus en plus d'acteurs adopter l'Action Collective dans leurs activités de lutte contre la corruption et dans leurs documents normatifs. Il s'agit d'un changement opportun qui marque le passage d'efforts isolés de lutte contre la corruption à une collaboration active avec toutes les parties prenantes, en particulier le secteur privé. Les récents développements dans la région ont créé un précédent pour l'avancement de l'Action Collective pour des mesures de prévention de la corruption plus efficaces et impactantes. Pour rendre compte de ces évolutions, l'Institut de Bâle a publié un guide pratique en anglais et en français qui met en lumière les approches innovantes développées par les gouvernements africains pour lutter contre la corruption de manière plus efficace et plus durable. Nous nous réjouissons de continuer à aider les acteurs locaux à apporter les avantages de l'Action Collective en Afrique de l'Ouest pour un environnement commercial équitable, durable et dynamique. En savoir plus: Policy Brief 11 : Fighting corruption in West African coastal states : how Collective Action can help, par Liza Young également en français . Explorez notre base de données mondiale d'initiatives d'action collective sur le centre de ressources du B20 Collective Action Hub.
Partnering against money laundering and corruption in South Africa and the subregion
What is the role of business in reducing illicit financial flows in the Southern Africa subregion? How is it evolving? What can businesses do to address corruption and money laundering risks in order to boost market growth and development and to strengthen governance systems? To explore these questions, the Basel Institute on Governance together with the National Business Initiative NBI , the Center for International Private Enterprise CIPE and Covington organised a multi-stakeholder Thought Leadership Dialogue on "Partnering Against Money Laundering and Corruption in South Africa and the Subregion". The event took place on 21 February 2023 in hybrid format in Johannesburg, South Africa. The role of business in addressing corruption The lively exchange between company representatives, government officials and civil society allowed for consensus to build amongst stakeholders. The resulting strong common call to action highlighted the importance of three things: Curbing systemic corruption, which remains a constant thorn in Southern Africa’s development prospects. We need more experiments with impact-oriented private sector-led Collective Action against corruption. This will help move the private sector to a more active role in building accountability ecosystems and setting high standards of integrity for commercial and public finance and service. Effectively disrupting the cycle of illicit financial flows, which requires us to prioritise collaborative partnerships between the private and public sectors. The encouraging examples that exist in the region need be highlighted so other countries can benefit and build on existing approaches and good practices. Understanding that in order to slow down the fast-evolving phenomenon of corruption, business needs to take a stand. This means the private sector requires bold, transformative and courageous leadership to fight the fight, because it is a fight against corrupt activities in the private and public sectors. Businesses must be champions against corruption and not only enablers or victims of corruption. Public-private initiatives to tackle illicit financial flows The event also facilitated more in-depth discussion and exchange on leading regional public-private initiatives that aim to tackle illicit financial flows. During the day's second panel, champions from the public and private sectors shared their experiences of building and actively engaging in Collective Action to address money laundering risks. Pieter Alberts, a Senior Operations Manager of the South African Financial Intelligence Centre, and Yiannis Gerakaris, Head of the Financial Crime Intelligence Unit at FirstRand Bank Group South Africa, explained their roles in the financial information-sharing partnership of the South African Anti-Money Laundering Integrated Taskforce SAMLIT , highlighting what is possible when the private sector and public sector come together. Led by the South African Financial Intelligence Centre, SAMLIT brings together financial institutions and financial regulatory authorities to share information that will enhance the fight against financial crime. This understanding feeds into the work of the Fusion Centre, a public-public initiative also located at the South African Financial Intelligence Centre that involves law enforcement and intelligence agencies. This collaboration between partnerships has enabled a closer and more trusted relationship between law enforcement authorities and the financial sector. Identifying cases and sharing information has proven quicker and more efficient. "The sooner we engage, connect and share information, the better.” – Pieter Alberts, South African Financial Intelligence Centre Beyond the banking sector However, the banking sector is just one of many sectors with a key role to play to address money laundering risks. Other gatekeeping institutions, such as lawyers, accountants and real estate agents, need to step up. Some encouraging initiatives in these sectors are also springing up in the region. For example, in Malawi, Anita Mankhambo, Head of Compliance at the Malawi Financial Intelligence Authority, leads a Collective Action initiative that works with local real estate agents to professionalise the sector and reduce money laundering risks. It seeks to do this while not overburdening the small and often still unlicensed real estate agents and the budding sector overall. An urgent need for action With billions in illicit financial flows leaving Southern Africa every year, time is of the essence to act. Building resilient partnerships and networks that allow for early detection and prevention of illicit financial flows have to be a priority to make it harder for corrupt and criminal networks to thrive in the region. We look forward to continuing to support these initiatives and discussions with our regional partners. Listen to the full recording. Read the full Call to Action.
Collective Action mentoring and peer learning to scale up in 2023
The future is looking bright for Collective Action as our community and Collective Action Mentoring Programme continues to grow. The programme provides free hands-on support for organisations working with the private sector on corruption issues. Programme leaders Scarlet Wannenwetsch and Liza Young look back on the first year and reflect on what we – not just our mentees – have learned. We look back on a successful year of building the programme and fruitful exchange with our mentees. Both have exceeded our expectations and highlighted once again the importance of building a strong community of like-minded organisations that can help advance the use of Collective Action to address business integrity challenges. 2023: a year of growth In 2023 we are excited to see the programme expand as we welcome five new organisations to the group. We look forward to supporting and collaborating with: CoST Infrastructure Transparency Initiative chapter in Malawi Fight Against Facilitation Payments Initiative FAFPI Alliance Nationale des Consommateurs et de l’Environnement ANCE Togo Transparency International Mauritius TIM Transparency International Sri Lanka We also look forward to the new perspectives and approaches these organisations will bring to our quarterly Collective Action community discussions and meetings. Stronger together in the fight against corruption The key takeaway of the programme's first year has been the need to create more dedicated spaces and opportunities for Collective Action practitioners to exchange and learn from one another. Initially, the programme was designed to provide one-on-one tailored mentoring for individual organisations. It soon expanded to enable regular exchange between the mentees, which includes via a dedicated and secure online portal to allow mentees to exchange working documents, tools and other relevant information. This expansion in the scope of the mentoring programme responds to the mentees’ call for more opportunities for engagement during the first in-person mentees' workshop. The workshop took place in Basel, Switzerland, in July 2022, on the margins of our International Collective Action Conference. Building bridges and facilitating synergies Shortly after the first in-person meeting, we received a message and picture from two of our mentees who met along the Abidjan waterfront in the Ivory Coast to exchange on their respective projects in the country. Noah Arshinoff from the Canadian Centre of Excellence for Anti-Corruption CCEAC met with Aman Baptiste Ado from the Réseau Ivoirien des Jeunes Leaders pour l'Intégrité RIJLI . They quickly realised they were working with the same partner on different anti-corruption Collective Action projects. This conversation also allowed Noah and Aman to discuss their respective approaches to working with small and medium enterprises in the Ivory Coast, paving the way for potential collaboration in the future. Looking ahead We look forward to more stories and examples of collaboration in the coming year. We also want to thank all of our Collective Action mentees for their active engagement and openness to share and help build this community. We look forward to continuing to build together in 2023 and the years to come. Want to find out more about our Collective Action Mentoring Programme? Find it on the B20 Collective Action Hub, our platform for information and engagement on anti-corruption Collective Action. Keen to keep up with our Collective Action community? Subscribe to the Collective Action quarterly newsletter. The Mentoring Programme is funded by the Siemens Integrity Initiative.
Collective Action in West African coastal states: fighting corruption for sustainable and equitable development
This blog by Liza Young, Project Associate for Collective Action in the Basel Institute’s Private Sector team, draws on her newly published Policy Brief in English and French on how anti-corruption Collective Action can help West African coastal states achieve their development potential. Africa is estimated to lose an unbelievable USD 88.6 billion 3.7% of Africa’s GDP each year to illicit financial flows, of which corruption is a major component. Rooting out corruption is a collective effort, and the private sector has a major role to play in laying down the foundations for clean business environments and sustainable development. That is why anti-corruption Collective Action has got so much to offer Africa, and in particular West African coastal states keen to maximise their clear economic potential. As the spectrum of Collective Action initiatives is quite large, it allows for innovative measures where governments, companies and civil society organisations CSOs can join forces toward a common objective, despite their different perspectives. This collaborative approach therefore provides a fertile ground for constructive dialogue between like-minded stakeholders, as well as an opportunity to understand the private sector’s language and reality. The voice of civil society CSOs have an important part to play in bringing Collective Action to the fight against corruption in West Africa. They must continue to initiate, facilitate and engage in Collective Action initiatives to help raise awareness and build bridges. Their presence can bring credibility, independent oversight and accountability to the initiatives. Our Private Sector team’s latest Policy Brief is based on conversations held with CSOs based in Benin Social Watch Benin , Ghana Ghana Integrity Initiative , Ivory Coast Ivorian Youth Leaders’ Network and Togo The Togolese National Agency for Consumers and the Environment . It aims to capture their experiences, challenges and outlook on what the future for Collective Action could hold in the region. Despite their different backgrounds, they are united on one point: fighting corruption collectively by raising the voice of the private sector is an important step to pave the way for sustainable economic growth. Lessons for practitioners The representatives from the above CSOs shared some important insights for their counterparts seeking to develop multi-stakeholder initiatives to address corruption in their contexts. Looking at the big picture, they agreed that anti-corruption Collective Action can play an important role in helping West African coastal states – and other states of course – maximise their economic potential. Bringing together stakeholders from the public and private sectors with civil society promotes good business along with business integrity. Second, they reflected on the important role of civil society in bringing together stakeholders from other sectors to address shared challenges of business integrity and corruption. CSOs can help to trigger and facilitate Collective Action initiatives that fit the economic, political and social context of a given country. All interviews mentioned the vital element of trust. To build trust between diverse stakeholders, they advised trying to find a common language and build understanding of the different perspectives of different stakeholders. Establishing platforms for dialogue can help build this trust, they said, but such platforms need a strong facilitator. Last, many of the CSOs we spoke to live in contexts where anti-corruption laws, institutions and enforcement are not as strong as they could be. In some cases, Collective Action can help to fill gaps in legal frameworks and strengthen implementation. But where legal incentives to resist corruption are weak, CSOs will need to think hard about incentives for different stakeholders to engage. Fair competition, building alliances and shaping self-regulatory standards could all be incentives depending on the context. Get involved and connect with like-minded organisations Another major point of agreement was that working on anti-corruption can, at times, feel like pushing a stone up a hill. Going at it alone can be disheartening, especially in a context where corruption is still perceived as a way of doing business. That is why connecting with other CSOs to exchange and learn from them is important to keep going. It can help build more robust and effective networks and initiatives, especially within a regional context where organisations might be facing similar challenges. At a global level, the Basel Institute on Governance is working to build up a Collective Action community through a novel mentoring programme. The Programme is intended for civil society organisations that work with the private sector and other stakeholders in tackling corruption. It offers tailored advice, support and technical assistance from leading experts in anti-corruption compliance and Collective Action, for free. Learn more Read the full Policy Brief in English and French. It is published by the Basel Institute's Private Sector team with the support of the Siemens Integrity Initiative. To find out what Collective Action initiatives might already exist in your country or region, visit the B20 Collective Action Hub initiatives database. A special thanks to all the civil society organisations that agreed to share their experiences in bringing a variety of stakeholders together to fight corruption and level the playing field: Mary Awelana Addah of the Ghana Integrity Initiative GII ; Fabrice A. Kodjo Ebeh of The Togolese National Agency for Consumers and the Environment ANCE ; Blanche Sonon of Social Watch Benin and Aman Baptiste Ado of the The Ivorian Youth Leaders’ Network RIJLI .