Sierra Leone - Europe - Nigeria

Sierra Leone: Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Manager Reaffirms Commitment to Battle Corruption. Through a Non-Conviction Based Asset Recovery Model, she argues the commission has seen laudable gains in recovering huge sums of misappropriated funds. Corruption prevention strides through radical public education and effective systems and processes review, according to her. 

 

All Africa: https://allafrica.com/stories/202301240251.html  

 

European Parliament votes to expand proposed rules targeting shell companies after Pandora Papers highlighted their role in tax evasion. Negotiations remain ongoing for final adoption of the "Unshell" directive, while tax justice activists say it may be too "weak" to effectively stop tax abuses.  

 

International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ): https://www.icij.org/investigations/pandora-papers/european-parliament-votes-to-expand-proposed-rules-targeting-shell-companies-after-pandora-papers-highlighted-their-role-in-tax-evasion/  

 

 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation (OAuGF) are to intensify cooperation in the fight against economic and financial crimes, including corruption. EFCC Chairman acknowledged the shared mandate of both agencies in promoting public accountability and transparency. 

 

EFCC Nigeria: https://www.efcc.gov.ng/efcc/news-and-information/news-release/8814-efcc-oaugf-to-collaborate-in-fight-against-corruption  

Global - India - Monaco

Match-fixing in handball: A reminder of the need for a World Anti-Corruption Agency. Referees in the current handball world championship for men are suspected of match fixing. But the revelations also point to an even bigger problem: there is no agency to fight all corruption in sport. 

 

Play the game: https://www.playthegame.org/news/match-fixing-in-handball-a-reminder-of-the-need-for-a-world-anti-corruption-agency/  

 

 

Last 8 years witnessed determined effort to tackle corruption in India. Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) chief said that "…the use of technology has helped immensely. Transparency, accountability, and centrality of citizens have become the hallmark of today's governance of India." 

 

Hindustan Times: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/last-8-years-witnessed-determined-effort-to-tackle-corruption-says-cbichief-101674480079178.html  

 

 

Monaco's anti-money laundering system inadequate, risks name-and-shame. A council of Europe report highlights key vulnerability in Monaco's measures against money laundering and the country risks being placed under intense scrutiny. "In most cases, fraud is committed abroad, while the proceeds of crime are laundered in Monaco." 

 

EURACTIV: https://www.euractiv.com/section/economy-jobs/news/monacos-anti-money-laundering-system-inadequate-risks-name-and-shame/  

Canada - Ghana - Iraq

Transparency International's Criticism of Canada's Anti-Bribery and Corruption Enforcement. Canada has been subject to ongoing criticism by NGOs, OECD and others for lagging behind peer countries regarding its commitment to anti-bribery and corruption enforcement. 

 

FASKEN: https://www.fasken.com/en/knowledge/2023/01/transparency-internationals-criticism-of-canadas-anti-bribery-and-corruption-enforcement  

 

 

Persistent corruption in the maritime sector hindering trade and development. The deputy director-general of Finance & Administration at the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) said corruption in the maritime industry will persist due to the nature of the shipping industry. 

 

Graphic: https://www.graphic.com.gh/business/business-news/persistent-corruption-in-maritime-sector-hindering-trade-development.html  

 

 

Iraqi PM Discusses anti-corruption measures with judiciary. "The rule of law should prevail in all circumstances and that the government demonstrates that Iraq is a country governed by the constitution and the law". 

 

Asharq Al-Awsat: https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/4114191/iraqi-pm-discusses-anti-corruption-measures-judiciary  

Ukraine - Bulgaria - Nigeria

Prioritizing the Rule of Law: Ukraine must stay on course. It is no secret that Ukraine has struggled with corruption, a problem dating to the cold decades of Soviet rule. This, and wider failures in the rule of law, have seriously hindered Ukraine's ability to develop. 

 

CEPA: https://cepa.org/article/prioritizing-the-rule-of-law-ukraine-must-stay-the-course/  

 

 

Absence of ethics controls for top Bulgarian government officials and police. Council of Europe's Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO) calls for more transparency concerning the conditions for government officials and are concerned with the effectiveness of the criminal justice response to corruption. 

 

Sofia Globe: https://sofiaglobe.com/2023/01/19/coe-anti-corruption-body-absence-of-ethics-controls-for-top-bulgarian-government-officials-police/  

 

 

Corruption responsible for insecurity, says Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related offences Commission (ICPC) chair. Said corruption impedes national development and the flow of foreign direct investment but expressed the belief that the war against corruption is steadily making progress with the collective commitment stakeholders in the country. 

 

PUNCH NG: https://punchng.com/corruption-responsible-for-insecurity-says-icpc-chair/  

Africa - Malaysia - Albania

Africa's economic growth to outpace global forecasts in 2023-2024. African Development Bank's new report calls for bold policy actions to help African economies mitigate compounding risks. One of which being "Accelerating structural reforms to build tax administration capacity and investments in digitalization and e-governance to enhance transparency, reduce illicit financial flows, and scale up domestic resource mobilization. 

 

AfDB: https://www.afdb.org/en/news-and-events/press-releases/africas-economic-growth-outpace-global-forecast-2023-2024-african-development-bank-biannual-report-58293 

 

More effective checks and balances needed: PM should back civil servants with adequate reforms. Malaysia's prime minister recently commented on the excess expenditure of public funds by the previous government and urged public officials to act as checks and balances in preventing corruption and wastages of public funds.  

 

Aliran: https://aliran.com/civil-society-voices/more-effective-checks-and-balances-needed-pm-should-back-civil-servants-with-adequate-reforms 

 

 

Anti-Corruption Fight must be national Priority; Democrat. Member of Parliament argues that the fight against corruption should become a national priority in Albania. 

 

Albanian Daily News: https://albaniandailynews.com/news/anti-corruption-fight-must-be-national-priority-democrat  

Yemen - Uganda - Global

Combating Corruption, Funds Prosecution Recover Billions of Riyals to State Treasury in 2022. Sana'a-based Supreme National Authority for Combating Corruption, Oversight and Anti-Corruption Agencies, issued its first annual report on the level of implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy 2022-2026. In its first year, the authority received more than 2000 notifications and preventative measures, as part of the vision to build the modern Yemeni State. 

 

Al Khabar Al Yemeni: https://alkhabaralyemeni.net/2023/01/17/205591/  

 

Unmasking the secrecy behind shell companies. Beneficial owners' information helps to know the ultimate owners behind a certain investment or transaction; thus fighting financial secrecy. This is important for Uganda's fight against illicit financial flows, money laundering, tax evasion and corruption. 

 

Monitor Uganda: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/business/prosper/unmasking-the-secrecy-behind-shell-companies-4088804  

 

[Media Advisory] TI's Corruption Perception Index (CPI) to be published on January 31^st, 2023. Transparency International will release its 28^th annual CPI Tuesday January 31^st at 06:01 CET (00.01 EST). 

 

Transparency International: https://www.transparency.org/en/press/media-advisory-corruption-perceptions-index-published-31-january-2023  

Switzerland – The Bahamas – South Africa

Green corruption – a planetary crime fought from Basel. The environmental crisis has raised the profile of green corruption (corruption or financial crime that causes harm to the environment and biodiversity) on the global agenda, as corruption has long undermined conservation efforts. 

 

Swissinfo: https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/business/green-corruption---a-planetary-crime-fought-from-basel/48189556  

 

[Essay] The hidden history of the world's top offshore cryptocurrency tourist resort. The Bahamas represents how global capitalism can go very right, and very wrong, at exactly the same time. "Tax havens and offshore financial centers are a reaction to the fiscal and regulatory demands of the 20^th century." 

 

Foreign Policy: https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/01/15/the-hidden-history-of-the-worlds-top-offshore-cryptocurrency-tourist-trap/  

 

Corporate taxes to feature at World Economic Forum. A pertinent issue for South Africa is the acceleration of reforms that will make it compulsory for multinationals to live up to their tax obligations. "The lack of transparency in the banking sector has allowed for multinational companies to evade tax".  

 

Sunday World: https://sundayworld.co.za/business/corporate-taxes-to-feature-at-davos/