Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has completed a regional training programme in South Africa involving about 100 anti-corruption practitioners from 17 African jurisdictions, as authorities seek to strengthen corruption prevention and institutional cooperation across the continent.
The programme, held in Pretoria from October 12 to 15, was organised by the Hong Kong International Academy Against Corruption, South Africa’s Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA), according to a statement issued by the ICAC on Wednesday.
The initiative was the first regional capacity-building programme following a memorandum of understanding signed by the ICAC and the SIU in 2024. The Hong Kong agency said it also represented its widest overseas training programme in terms of participating jurisdictions.
The four-day programme focused on applying investigative findings to institutional reforms, strengthening corruption prevention frameworks and improving information-sharing between African and Asian anti-corruption authorities.
Hong Kong officials presented their approach to preventing corruption through technology, including newly introduced Integrity Assurance Standards for Computer System. They also discussed partnerships between the public and private sectors to promote integrity standards across industries.
Other sessions examined public education, youth engagement and media campaigns, alongside investigations into misconduct in public office and financial fraud involving corruption risks.
Participants were also introduced to the ICAC’s “Tianma” artificial intelligence enforcement system, which the agency presented as part of its efforts to explore technology’s role in future anti-corruption investigations.
Stanley Chio Kai-ming, the ICAC’s principal corruption prevention officer, thanked the SIU for supporting the programme and said the initiative had provided a platform for exchanging experiences between Hong Kong and African jurisdictions.
The ICAC said it hoped to develop a wider network of African anti-corruption practitioners to support continued cooperation, information-sharing and institutional development.
The participating jurisdictions were Botswana, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Libya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
According to the ICAC, participants welcomed the training and said the exchanges had strengthened their commitment to combating corruption. The agency did not provide independent assessments of the programme’s impact on enforcement outcomes or corruption rates.
The initiative reflects an effort to extend international cooperation beyond investigations and prosecutions to include prevention, institutional safeguards and public education. Its longer-term impact will depend on how participating authorities apply the approaches discussed to their own legal frameworks and public institutions.
SUPPORT AFRICAN BUSINESS JOURNALISM
Help XOL Africa expand independent business reporting across Africa.
SUPPORT XOL AFRICA →
