Africa

Africa's battle against corruption: which side is the west on?

Sujets: 
Africa, Resources industry, Corruption, Legal ethics
Scores: 
2

The sharp lawyers who counter the effort for clean governance are not based in Guinea: they are in London, Paris, New York

Paul Collier – November 15, 2012

Across Africa democratically elected leaders are fighting against corruption in the natural resource sector. But by various means, corruption fights back.

Those under investigation hire highly paid legal guns to sue and silence, and highly paid public relations gurus to twist and smear. Impecunious governments trying to impose the rule of law find it subverted into the rule of lawyers and trial by media.

Greed and corruption in Zimbabwe’s diamond fields

Sujets: 
Mining, Corruption, Political misconduct, Africa
Scores: 
2

November 13, 2012

Partnership Africa Canada has launched its new report “Reap What You Sow: Greed and Corruption in Zimbabwe’s Marange Diamond Fields”   on November 12 to coincide with the opening of an international diamond conference being held at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

Reap What You Sow is the third investigation by Partnership Africa Canada into illicit activity in Zimbabwe’s diamond sector. The report is divided into three main sections. The first looks at ongoing trade irregularities and the lack of transparency of diamond revenues, and examines ways ZANU and the global diamond industry have interacted, before, during and after the Kimberley Process imposed an embargo on Marange stones in 2009.

Bombardier denies report of bribery in South African contract

Sujets: 
Corruption, Africa
Scores: 
3

The Canadian Press – June 1, 2012

Bombardier Transportation confirmed that it paid a Tunisian businessman to act as an intermediary as it worked to secure a contract in South Africa, a process it says is common place in unfamiliar countries, but denies reports of wrongdoing.

The Montreal-based company has been accused by South African newspaper The Mail and Guardian of involvement in a bribery scheme involving $35 million paid to Youssef Zarrouk, a "Tunisian fixer," which the paper said was "evidence suggestive of bribery in the R$26-billion Gautrain contract."

Tough EU transparency laws could change lives in resource-rich Congo

Sujets: 
Africa, Resources industry, Developing countries, Anti-corruption efforts
Scores: 
0

Joseph Banga – April 30, 2012

We don't know how much money the Democratic Republic of the Congo government gets from the exploitation of our oil, gas, minerals and timber. That must change.

New EU legislation introducing mandatory transparency for multinational companies could do a lot to help billions living in poverty in resource-rich countries. It could contribute to turning their natural resource wealth from a curse to a blessing if approved in its current form, but it would fail to make a difference if it is watered down.

The End Of Africa’s Embezzlement Era?

Sujets: 
Government ethics, Africa, Developing countries, Anti-corruption efforts
Scores: 
2

Samuel Rubenfeld – March 27, 2012

The U.S. Justice Department’s kleptocracy initiative could spell the end of African leaders stashing stolen state assets in American financial institutions, said an expert in the region.

Herbert Igbanugo, the founding shareholder of Igbanugo Partners International Law Firm PLLC, said Tuesday during a panel discussion about Africa at the Dow Jones Global Compliance Symposium that the Justice Department’s Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative, which has a mandate to ferret out illicit assets belonging to “high-level” foreign officials and return them to victim countries, will have a great impact on the continent over the next couple of years as the U.S. pursues cases against African officials.

Paris police raid flat of African ruler's son

Sujets: 
Africa, Anti-corruption efforts
Scores: 
2

AFP – February 15,  2012

French police on Tuesday searched an upmarket Paris residence of the son of Equatorial Guinea's President Teodoro Obiang Nguema as part of a corruption probe, sources have said.

The president's son, Teodoro Obiang Mangue, was reportedly absent during the search by anti-graft police who were met with some resistance from occupants who claimed the building was protected by diplomatic immunity.

Kenyans go online in battle against corruption

Sujets: 
Africa, Internet, Anti-corruption efforts
Scores: 
2

Sudarsan Raghavan – February 11, 2012

Everyone in Kenya knows the phrase "kitu kidogo." It means "something small" in Swahili, and it refers to the bribes Kenyans pay minor bureaucrats, such as policemen and utility company employees, to make life easier. For decades, Kenyans had only their relatives and friends to complain to. Until now, that is.

A new website — I Paid a Bribe — is allowing Kenyans to share their experiences with bribery. Activists say the site could become a potent weapon in the fight against graft in one of the world's most corrupt nations.

Global Witness Pulls Out Of The Kimberley Process

Sujets: 
Corruption, Africa, Resources industry
Scores: 
3

Christopher Matthews – December 5, 2011

Global Witness announced Monday that it had pulled out of the Kimberley Process, the international certification scheme established to stop the trade in blood diamonds, citing the process’  “refusal to evolve” and an inability to address key loopholes.

The Kimberley process was started in 2003 to control and monitor the trade in rough diamonds and prevent the sale of so-called conflict diamonds. The diamond industry, rights groups and 75 countries, including the U.S., participate in the process.

Norway fund blacklists FMC, Potash over ethics

Sujets: 
Corporate ethics, Africa, Resources industry
Scores: 
3

Agence France-Presse – December 6, 2011

Norway's state pension fund, one of the biggest sovereign wealth funds in the world, has blacklisted investment in US chemicals firm FMC Corporation and Canadian fertiliser maker Potash over ethics concerns, Oslo said Tuesday.

"The companies' conduct represents particularly serious violations of fundamental ethical norms... The breaches result from the companies' purchases of phosphate from Western Sahara," the Norwegian finance ministry said in a statement.

Kenya anti-graft body gets new chief

Sujets: 
Africa, Watchdogs, Anti-corruption efforts
Scores: 
0

Reuters – December 2, 2011

A new head was named to take over Kenya's anti-corruption watchdog on Thursday, replacing a chief who said he was removed in retaliation for trying to investigate senior politicians.

President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga nominated lawyer Mumo Matemu to replace Patrick Lumumba, whose investigations had appeared to have given fresh impetus to east Africa's biggest economy's disappointing battle against graft.

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