• Hon Seynabou Diakhate Ndiaye, Chairperson, African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption (AUABC)
• Mr. Abdi A. Mohamud, MBS, Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) of Kenya
• Lady Justice Lucy Njuguna, Presiding Judge of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Division of the High Court of Kenya
• Dr Musa Aliyu, Interim Chairperson, African Asset Recovery Practitioners Forum AARP Steering Council
• Ms. Kathinka Kurz, Head of Component, GIZ Strengthening Development Finance by Combatting Illicit Financial Flows and Effective Debt Management (SFIFD)
• Distinguished Delegates and experts
• Ladies, and Gentlemen

Good morning!!

It is with great honour that I address this esteemed gathering on behalf of HE. Amb. Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the African Union during this INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE AFRICAN ASSET RECOVERY PRACTITIONERS’ FORUM in Nairobi, Kenya.

Allow me on the onset to convey our sincere gratitude to the people and the Government of Kenya through the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), for hosting this important gathering and for the warm hospitality extended to us since our arrival. Further, I would like to thank you all for honoring the invitation, as I take this early opportunity to welcome you to the meeting.

I would like to thank GIZ for their tremendous support provided to AUC in organizing this meeting.     

As you may be aware, since 2022, the AUABC and the Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security AUC-PAPS have been exploring the establishment of a platform for asset recovery practitioners. Through a series of consultations among asset recovery experts, Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Networks (ARINs), and National Anti-Corruption Authorities (NACAs) brainstormed and reviewed the draft charter to govern the Asset Recovery Practitioners Forum.

In May 2024, the key stakeholders met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and agreed to establish the African Asset Recovery Practitioners Forum which is a forum of asset recovery experts with objective of supporting African Union Member States to effectively implement CAPAR.

The creation of this Forum is a major step in the direction of improving coordination and cooperation among African asset recovery initiatives. By uniting professionals and specialists, this network, will enable the sharing of insights and expertise, ultimately leading to more successful asset recovery programs and the fight against corruption throughout the continent specially at time where AU is admitted as G20 member and participating at a second consecutive time to all the G20 Anti- Corruption Working Group Meetings.  

The African Union (AU) acknowledges the importance of active participation in international forums such as the G20 WGAC where issues of fighting against corruption, illicit financial flows, and issues on enhancing asset recovery and integrity in the public and private sector are discussed. 

Distinguished Delegates and experts

Ladies, and Gentlemen,

Our collective presence here at the meeting affirms our shared commitment to combating corruption—a pervasive challenge that undermines governance, economic stability, and public trust across the globe.

The African Union attaches special importance to efforts towards the fight against corruption and the   recovery of assets.  Considering the negative impact of corruption, on economic growth through its effect on the rule of law and international financial stability, tax revenue, trade, public and private investments and development, the AU has adopted a Common African Position on Asset Recovery and Return (CAPAR) in February 2020 as a policy and advocacy tool to combat illicit financial flows. The four strategic pillars of the policy, provide a coherent policy and strategic framework to drive the continental agenda for asset recovery.

Over the years, the AU has made significant strides in addressing corruption through initiatives such as the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (AUCPCC) and the Common African Position on Asset Recovery (CAPAR). These frameworks have not only provided a robust foundation for anti-corruption efforts but have also facilitated international cooperation in areas such as asset recovery transparency in governance, and public procurement.

We are gathered here not only to launch a Forum, but to activate a long-awaited continental platform — one that reflects a shared vision, nurtured through consultations and collaboration, to reclaim what belongs to Africa and reinvest it in Africa.

This Forum — the Africa Asset Recovery Practitioners Forum — is a key mechanism to operationalize CAPAR. It brings together the very practitioners who stand on the frontlines of this battle: investigators, prosecutors, financial analysts, legal experts, and policymakers. It is also a timely response to a growing challenge. As we know, illicit financial flows are becoming more sophisticated and transnational. They deprive the continent of over $88 billion each year — funds that should be financing hospitals, clean energy, education, and public infrastructure. They fuel inequality, undermine governance, and weaken trust in our institutions.

As the African Union Commission, we firmly believe in the transformative potential of CAPAR. The AUC has long advocated for the establishment of a structured mechanism that enhances coordination, peer learning, and legal cooperation among Member States in the domain of asset recovery. Today, in this forum, we see that vision taking form.

Distinguished Delegates and experts

Ladies, and Gentlemen,

Over the next three days, you will lay the foundational pillars of this Forum in:

• Adopting and signing the Charter, giving the Forum its institutional identity.
• Designating country focal points and forming working groups, building the operational architecture of the platform.
• And critically, you will develop a roadmap for implementation — ensuring that this is not just a launch, but the start of a truly action-oriented process.

You will also endorse the Draft Declaration that captures our collective intent and commitment to regional collaboration, to strengthening mutual legal assistance, and to advancing policy reform, capacity-building, and the responsible management of recovered assets. In so doing, you reaffirm your roles not only as legal experts, but as defenders of the public trust and emphasize the importance of public confidence, of good governance, and of ensuring that recovered assets are used transparently and in ways that serve the people.

Distinguished Delegates and experts

Ladies, and Gentlemen

Before I conclude, I would like to reaffirm the AU’s unwavering commitment to continue providing institutional backing, technical support, and political advocacy for this Forum. We see it as an integral part of the broader AU architecture for democratic governance, rule of law, and human rights. And we remain committed to working in synergy with the AUABC, with Member States, and with our partners to ensure the Forum’s long-term sustainability and impact.

Together, we can build governance systems that are transparent, resilient, and accountable, ultimately fostering an environment of trust and integrity for our citizens and future generations.

I look forward to our discussions and to a productive outcome that strengthens our shared resolve and collective action. 

I thank you and wish you fruitful deliberations during these three days.

 

 

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