The Gabonese capital has been chosen as seat of the Network of National Anti-Corruption Institutions in Central Africa (RINAC) after a three-day expert group meeting.

Over 40 experts who participated in deliberations of the technical workshop to set up RINAC, also appointed an Interim Bureau to be headed by Mr Dieudonné Odounga Awassi who is Chair of Gabon's National Commission for the Fight against Illicit Enrichment (CNLCEI, in French).

The workshop that was jointly organised by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and CNLCEI was closed by the Minister of Labour and Employment of Gabon - Mr Simon Ntoutoume Emane, who invited institutions that will constitute the Network to take action in order to multiply results.

Here is the substantive part of the Libreville Declaration made by participants of the meeting :

"We commit unreservedly to work together to combat corruption and associated offences within the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) area;

[We] adopt, subject to proposed amendments, the founding instruments of the Network of National Anti-Corruption Institutions in Central Africa (ECCAS area), submitted to us for scrutiny. They include, notably: the Constitution, the Rules of Procedure and Financial Regulations as well as the Code of Ethics and Deontology;

[We] decide that the said adoption constitutes the official launching of the Network of National Anti-Corruption Institutions in Central Africa abbreviated RINAC;

[We] choose theRepublic of Gabon to host the RINAC Headquarters;

[We] also adopt, subject to proposed amendments, RINAC's transitional budget covering a twelve-month transitional period;

[We] request Anti-Corruption institutions in Central Africa to spare no effort to finalize and adopt, as soon as possible, RINAC's founding instruments;

[We] request Governments of RINAC member countries to provide all necessary support for the implementation of such sub-regional cooperation;

[We] request that RINAC be aligned with the Secretariat General of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS);

[We] designate:

Mr. Dieudonné ODOUNGA AWASSI, President of Gabon's National Commission for the Fight against Illicit Enrichment (CNLCEI) as President of RINAC for the transitional period beginning in October 2015, with the mandate to take all steps necessary to operationalize RINAC as soon as possible;

[We]thank the ECA and the CNLCEI for organizing this important meeting that afforded the opportunity to launch RINAC;

[We] exhort the ECA, ECCAS, the AUC, the ADB, UNDP, the World Bank, international organizations as well as other technical and financial partners, to support Central African countries to operationalize the Network by providing them the financial, material and logistical resources necessary for its functioning;

[We] thank the Government of the Gabonese Republic for accepting to host the Headquarters of RINAC;

[We]thank the people and Government of Gabon for the warm reception and hospitality accorded to delegates."

-ENDS-

Issued jointly by:

United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)

Sub-Regional Office for Central Africa

P. O. Box 14935 Yaounde, Cameroon

Tel: +237 2 22231461

E-mail: sroca@uneca.org

Media Contact:

Abel Akara Ticha, Communication Officer

Tel: +237 2 22231461

And :

The Gabonese National Commission against Illicit Enrichment (CNLCEI)

P. O. Box: 4044

Tel : +241 07657902

+24102444896

E-mail : asseyi_rodrigue@yahoo.fr

rodriguevinceasseyi@gmail.com

Libreville, Gabon