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The upcoming Citizens Forum in Accra, Ghana, will focus on addressing the issue of illicit financial flows into Africa, according to the organisers.
The organisers include the Executive Director of the Coalition for Dialogue on Africa, the Head of Secretariat of the African Union High-Level Panel on IFFs from Africa, and the Executive Secretary of the African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption.
Recent reports indicate that illicit financial flows from Africa have risen to nearly $100 billion annually, with a significant portion originating from commercial activities, particularly in the extractives sector.
The forum aims to strengthen Africa's response to illicit financial flows, democratic decline, and corruption, with a focus on democracy, institutional resilience, and thematic sessions involving over 500 participants from across the continent.
Despite previous efforts, the need for effective policies, institutions, and legal frameworks to combat illicit financial flows remains a pressing concern, especially following a comprehensive assessment led by the Thabo Mbeki-led-AU High-Level Panel.
The African Union has been working towards a coordinated and coherent response to this issue.
