Hong Kong has unveiled plans to launch an academy designed to share its anti-corruption expertise with officials from various nations, as announced by the city’s anti-corruption agency this week.
Scheduled to be established in February 2024, the Hong Kong International Academy Against Corruption is a proactive initiative led by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), under the leadership of Commissioner Danny Woo Ying-ming.
According to scmp.com, the announcement follows the successful conclusion of a pilot training program organized by the ICAC, which saw participation from anti-corruption authorities representing several African and Asian countries. The intensive week-long program was dedicated to addressing corruption challenges within infrastructure projects.
“The post-pandemic era presents a unique opportunity for international collaboration in the fight against corruption,” noted Commissioner Woo, who added, “The ICAC has experienced a surge in requests for knowledge-sharing from various anti-corruption entities.”
Participants in the pilot program hailed from South Africa, Mali, Nigeria, Indonesia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Cambodia, Laos, and Macau. Additionally, they embarked on a three-day study tour to Guangdong, Zhuhai, and Zhongshan.
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The program’s primary objective was to create a platform where anti-corruption professionals from different countries could meet in person and exchange their invaluable experiences and insights. Paul Lau Chi-ho, a principal investigator in the ICAC’s operations department, expressed his perspective on the program’s purpose.
Mdumiseni Wiseman Nxumalo, a senior manager in risk from South Africa’s special investigating unit, shared his expectations of the program, saying he hoped to acquire strategies for preventing corruption during his stay in Hong Kong.
“We were fortunate to witness numerous demonstrations of how large-scale infrastructure projects are managed here in Hong Kong,” Nxumalo remarked.
Hawaly Kone, an auditor-investigator from the Central Office of the Fight Against Illicit Enrichment in Mali, emphasized the value of exchanging ideas with professional counterparts from diverse backgrounds.
“The exchange of experiences allowed me to gain insights into tackling challenges that I have encountered in my home country. Some of my colleagues from different countries may have faced similar issues in the past, making them familiar with potential solutions,” Kone said.
The Hong Kong International Academy Against Corruption is poised to provide a comprehensive selection of courses addressing various aspects of anti-corruption efforts, including prevention, investigation, and prosecution. Furthermore, it will serve as a pivotal research hub for the study of corruption and the promotion of best practices in anti-corruption initiatives.
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