Executive Director of Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), David Ugolor, has been elected to represent Sub-Saharan Africa on the board of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) Coalition.
Ugolor’s election was announced by the UNCAC Coalition Managing Director, Mathias Huter, in a congratulatory message to the ANEEJ boss.
Development Diaries reports that the election was held from 28 June to 06 July, 2021, with Mahdi Dahech of 1Watch emerging winner of the Middle East and North African seat.
Other electees are Andrii Borovyk of Transparency International Ukraine (Europe Regional Seat Two), Pech Pisey of Transparency International Cambodia (East Asia, Central Asia and Pacific Regional Seat), and Gillian Dell (International Member Organisation Seat Two).
‘The UNCAC Coalition’s board elections are over and I am happy to inform you that you have been elected by our members’, Huter noted.
‘Congratulations and warm welcome on the Coalition Coordination Committee’.
The asset recovery expert recently called on the United Nations and rich countries harbouring looted assets to consider a comprehensive review of the process as he lamented that some recovery processes have taken up to 30 years.
Ugolor made that call during the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) recent International Conference.
The anti-corruption expert, who has a master’s degree in Governance and Corruption, also identified weak capacity of government officials at the sub-national level as another hindrance to successful and timely asset recovery and called for knowledge enhancement at that level of government.
‘Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) is one of the major challenges confronting developing countries, including Nigeria, as they embark on asset recovery which is sustained by illicit financial flows’, he said during the virtual conference.
‘You will agree with me that this problem or challenge has made some of the asset return process not very successful and this can be traced to the fact that the weak capacity at the state level needs to be strengthened’.
The UNCAC Coalition is a global network of over 350 civil society organisations (CSOs) in more than 100 countries, committed to promoting the ratification, implementation and monitoring of the UN anti-corruption convention.
Established in August 2006, it mobilises civil society action for UNCAC at international, regional and national levels.
Source: ANEEJ
Photo source: David Ugolor
