Members of the media are invited to attend a high-level counter-corruption Pan-African Counter-Corruption Assembly (PACCA) being hosted by the Pavocat-Stellenbosch Academy (PSA) and convened by the Africa Regional Centre of Excellence in Integrity (AFCOE), starting on Thursday, 2 November. 

The Pan-African Counter-Corruption Assembly (PACCA or Assembly) is gathering upon the invitation of the Honourable Ronald Lamola MP, South Africa's Minister of Justice and Correctional Services. It brings together prominent politicians and leaders from across Africa, as well as well as international financiers, global business leaders, representatives from organisations tackling corruption and legal minds, and is the precursor to the annual Africa Counter-Corruption Dialogue taking place in 2024.

Prof Lee Marler, a Director of Pavocat, says: “It is a great honour for the AFCOE to be hosting the Pan-African Counter-Corruption Assembly in Stellenbosch and we look forward to welcoming politicians and leaders from across Africa, and the leaders from global organisations like the World Bank and the South African National Prosecuting Authority."

PACCA is an initiative of the Pavocat-Stellenbosch Academy (PSA), created in 2021 as a collaboration between the Stellenbosch University (SU) Faculty of Law and Pavocat South Africa, a part of the Pavocat Group of Companies which specialises in counter-corruption. 

As a dual pan-African counter-corruption think tank and training establishment, AFCOE provides highly practical SU-accredited courses in how to combat corruption, advance human rights, and improve compliance with the law of armed conflict.

Topics to be discussed include the cause and effect of corruption on Africa, the current international matrix for tackling corruption and the role of the private sector in defeating it.

Objective

The objective of the PACCA will be to identify effective, efficient, deliverable and above all else coordinated pan-African strategies for combatting corruption in Africa, and the product of this process will form part of the Counter-Corruption Framework for Africa.

Speakers

The Summit will see high-level speakers (and attendees) from the executive, the legislature, the judiciary, business, civil society and nongovernmental organisations and intergovernmental organisations. The speakers include:

• Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, The Hon Ronald Lamola MP;
• Chancellor of Stellenbosch University, Justice Edwin Cameron;
• Dean of SU's Law Faculty, Prof Nicola Smit
• Former Public Protector and occupier of the Law Trust Research Chair in Social Justice at SU, Prof Thuli Madonsela
• Chair of the Pavocat-Stellenbosch Academy, and co-director of the Africa Regional Centre of Excellence in Integrity, Prof Lee Marler
• Co-director of the Africa Regional Centre of Excellence in Integrity, Prof Geo Quinot

 PACCA will feature debate, sharing of knowledge and expertise and discussion, offering valuable insights into the ongoing battle against corruption in Africa.

The themes open for discussions over the two-day Assembly include:

1.  Corruption – the Blight of Africa: Analysing the cost and impact of corruption on the African continent
2.  Current International Matrix for Tackling Corruption: Evaluating the existing international strategies and their shortcomings
3. Fighting Corruption in Africa: Discussing the challenges and efforts to combat corruption
4. Counter-Corruption Capacity Building: Exploring the AFCOE Courses designed to enhance anti-corruption capabilities across Africa
5. The Concept of the International Anti-Corruption Court: A critical examination of this innovative idea
6. Corruption in African Procurement: Examining corruption issues in procurement practices
7. Role of the Private Sector in Defeating Corruption in Africa: Highlighting the private sector's role in combating corruption
8. Financing Counter-Corruption Initiatives: Addressing the financial challenges involved in anti-corruption efforts

PACCA is set to be a unique gathering of visionaries and leaders dedicated to eradicating corruption in Africa with planned outcomes to enable and empower African nations to tackle the scourge of corruption and unleash Africa's struggling economies.

For security and logistical reasons, members of the media are requested to register their attendance with Ms Vuyiseka Klaas at vk@rcoe-sa.org

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