Vienna (Austria), 24 January 2022– The virtual presentation “Civil society in Africa contributes to UNCAC and its Review Mechanism to effectively fight corruption and support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”, a segment of the Global Programme GLOU68, showcased the findings, recommendations and lessons learned of the independent evaluation of the project undertaken by the Civil Society Unit (CSU) from 2017 to 2021.
The project supported by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), aimed to make the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) second review cycle more inclusive and effective through the training of African Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to better contribute to the UNCAC review process, as well as supporting CSOs to work in partnership with the private sector on anti-corruption initiatives and enhancing their networks with governments, the private sector and other CSOs.
In his welcoming remarks Jean-Luc Lemahieu, Director of the Division for Policy Analysis and Public Affairs, UNODC highlighted the recommendations of the evaluation report, especially regarding the continuity of the multi-stakeholder workshops in the future and across other thematic areas. He stated that the full involvement of civil society ranging from NGOs and academia as well as the private sector is crucial to achieve progress, on a national as well as on an international level, as also highlighted in the UNODC’s Strategic Vision for Africa 2030.
The independent evaluation was conducted by an evaluation team consisting of two experts and supported by the UNODC independent evaluation unit. Both experts stressed that the project had high relevance for both the UNCAC and the SDGs and responded well to beneficiaries’ needs. The identified 10 recommendations in the evaluation should inform CSU and UNODC future programming in Africa and other regions. Among the main suggestions was the broader applicability of the multi-stakeholder approach, the need for sustained follow-up to build on successful activities and the importance of nurturing key partnerships with allies, such as the UNCAC Coalition, in order to increase reach and impact.
In her closing remarks Christina Todeschini, Programme Manager, Austrian Development Agency thanked everyone involved in the evaluation project and stressed the positive impact of the evaluation as a fruitful exercise for the region and beyond.