International Anti-Corruption Commitments

Title of the document

ECOWAS Protocol on the Fight against Corruption

(https://eos.cartercenter.org/u...)

Issuing body

Economic Community of West African States

Brief description

The Protocol on the Fight against Corruption was adopted by ECOWAS member states in 2001, but faced challenges in reaching the required threshold to come into force until 2019

Relevant excerpts

Article 5:Preventive Measures

In order to realise the objectives set out in Article 2 above, each State Party shall take measures to establish and consolidate:

a) National laws, ethical guidelines, regulations and codes of conduct that would eliminate conflicts of interest, emphasise methods of recruitment based on merit and provide thorough measures aimed at guaranteeing reasonable standards of living;

b) transparency and efficiency in the procurement and disposal of goods, works and services and in the recruitment of personnel into the public service;

c) Laws and other measures deemed necessary to ensure effective and adequate protection of persons who, acting in good faith, provide information on acts of corruption;

d) Laws and regulations aimed at discouraging corruption of national and foreign officials;

e) participation of civil society and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in efforts to prevent and detect acts of corruption;

f) revenue collection systems that eliminate opportunities for corruption and tax evasion and provide for regulations which require companies and organisations to maintain adequate financial books and records and adhere to internationally accepted standards of accounting;

g) policies that oblige public officials to disclose assets, liabilities and copies of their income tax returns. The disclosure rules should be extended to at least the spouses and dependent children of the public officials. Provisions should made to ensure that the information provided shall not be misused;

h) specialised anti-corruption agencies with the requisite independence and capacity that will ensure that their staff receive adequate training and financial resources for the accomplishment of their tasks;

i) freedom of the press and the right to information; and

j) policies to ensure that public officials do not take official decisions related to private business in which they have an interest.