Luanda - Angola called Tuesday in Tbilisi (Georgia) for effective cooperation between states to recover 50 percent of its assets scattered in various countries, as part of the country's fight against corruption.
The request was made by the county’s Minister of State and Chief of Staff of the President, Adão de Almeida, while addressing the 10th Conference of States Parties of the United Nations Convention against Corruption.
The Angolan official, who was coy on figures, said thanks to various legal proceedings launched in recent years, financial resources and varied properties have been recovered, adding however, that half of these assets are scattered in various countries.
Adaõ de Almeida added that the country expects these resources to be returned to the Angolan state and made available for the economic and social development of the population.
Angolan government, the minister said, is committed to the proper management of the recovered assets by using them to build infrastructures and social facilities that contribute to improving the quality of life of citizens.
The Minister of State assured that Angola, under the leadership of President João Lourenço, remains committed to fighting corruption and impunity, citing as an example the holding of the "Conference on Combating Corruption: The Challenges of Regional Cooperation in Implementing the UN Convention” held in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The conference approved the Luanda Declaration, a regional document that adopted and recommended the implementation of various anti-corruption measures signed by member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Adão de Almeida added that a National Strategy for the Prevention and Repression of Corruption is in its final stages for approval, with the aim of consolidating the internal and coordinated effort between the institutions involved in the fight against corruption.
The minister emphasized that the country remains committed to building the capacity of its human capital involved in this process, having praised the role played by the UNODC, which Angola will continue to call for the necessary partnerships in this area to continue improving the results and national indicators in preventing and fighting corruption and related crimes.
The world has faced a number of challenges in recent years, the Angolan minister said, adding that a greater engagement and Connection is required between the various states and other international players, and transparent management of the scarce financial resources available, the most important of which the need to clamp down on corruption and related offences.
He thanked the international support for the efforts made by Angola in recent years, which culminated in the Assets Recovery Inter-Agency Network for Southern Africa (ARINSA) awarding the Angolan Attorney General's Office the International Assets Recovery Prize last October in Mauritius. VIC/AMP
