Laraba MUREY
Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, Dr. Musa Aliyu, has been elected President of the African Asset Recovery Practitioners’ Forum, AARP-F, a body dedicated to asset recovery and combating illicit financial flows across Africa.
Dr. Aliyu’s election took place on November 6, 2024, in Arusha, Tanzania, with representatives from African regional blocs, Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Networks, ARINs, and the African Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities, AAACA, in attendance.
In his acceptance speech, Aliyu stressed the importance of upholding the forum’s charter and promoting a unified approach to asset recovery.
He said, “We must ensure that our objectives are met if we want Africa to achieve its development goals. This requires a commitment to asset tracking, recovery, and repatriation,” he stated.
Aliyu emphasized the forum’s main goals: to enhance regional and international cooperation systems and to monitor the Common African Position on Asset Recovery, CAPAR.
According to him, “Realising these objectives requires close collaboration between forum members and our respective ministries of justice and judiciary.”
He added that such efforts would help break down the legal barriers that hinder Africa’s asset recovery initiatives.
The ICPC chairman stressed the need for a strong Mutual Legal Assistance, MLA, framework, backed by the United Nations Convention against Corruption, UNCAC, stressing that, “this framework is essential for engaging international recipients of illicit financial flows, encouraging them to return assets that don’t legitimately belong to them.”
Aliyu also pointed out the challenges of prosecuting corruption cases in Africa due to legal technicalities.
“Legal technicalities remain a major hurdle for many countries on this continent. By strengthening our legal frameworks, we can improve the efficiency of our criminal justice systems,” he added.
The ICPC chairman further praised the forum’s diverse membership as an invaluable resource noting that, “Our combined expertise is a critical asset for overcoming the barriers that limit Africa’s progress.” Beyond financial recovery, he highlighted that the forum’s mission also includes reclaiming Africa’s cultural heritage, such as artifacts and artworks that hold significant value for the continent.
Dr. Aliyu’s election represents a significant step forward for the ICPC and its leadership in advancing Africa’s financial integrity.
