Nairobi — The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has called for urgent reforms in asset management systems and enhanced real-time cross-border cooperation, warning that persistent weaknesses continue to undermine the fight against corruption and illicit financial flows in Eastern Africa.
Speaking during the 16th Eastern Africa Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities conference in Nairobi, UNODC Deputy Regional Representative for Eastern Africa Koen Marquering said recovering stolen assets is only part of the solution.
"Asset management systems must be strengthened to ensure that recovered assets actually translate into tangible development outcomes," he said, stressing the need for accountability frameworks that link asset recovery to public benefit.
The high-level forum, hosted by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) in partnership with EAAACA and the Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network for Eastern Africa, has brought together investigators, policymakers, and accountability institutions from across the region and beyond.
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Marquering noted that Eastern Africa's rapid economic growth and expanding integration--driven by trade corridors, financial hubs, and digital ecosystems--have also increased exposure to illicit financial flows, including corruption, trade-based fraud, and the misuse of emerging financial technologies.
3.7pc GDP loss
Citing estimates that Africa loses nearly 3.7 percent of its GDP annually to illicit financial flows, he said the region's strategic position as a commercial gateway makes it both a hub of opportunity and a target for increasingly sophisticated criminal networks.
"To respond effectively, we must strengthen real-time cross-border cooperation and intelligence sharing," he said. "Criminal networks operate across jurisdictions, and our response must be equally coordinated and swift."
The conference has drawn international partners, including Sebastian Groth, Ondrej Šimek, and representatives from the World Bank.
Marquering noted that while progress has been made in areas such as anti-money laundering frameworks and financial intelligence systems, key gaps remain, including limited access to verified beneficial ownership data, weak legal frameworks for non-conviction-based asset recovery, and inadequate systems for managing recovered assets.
"Platforms like EAAACA and ARIN-EA are essential," he said. "They create an operational space for trust, cooperation, and joint action that no single institution can provide alone."
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He highlighted ongoing UNODC-supported initiatives in the region, including the European Union-funded PLEAD programme in Kenya, which focuses on access to justice, digitalisation, and efficiency in the criminal justice system.
Marquering also pointed to regional platforms such as the Africa Anti-Corruption and Financial Crime Hub as critical in building investigative capacity and strengthening institutional coordination.
Finacial intelligence reproting
The forum heard that countries such as Uganda and Ethiopia have made notable strides in strengthening financial oversight and anti-corruption systems, including improved financial intelligence reporting and reforms aligned with global standards.
However, delegates stressed that sustaining these gains will require deeper regional cooperation and stronger implementation of existing frameworks.
The Nairobi conference is expected to produce joint recommendations aimed at enhancing asset tracing and recovery, operationalising beneficial ownership transparency, and improving inter-agency collaboration across borders.
Musalia Mudavadi, who also serves as Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, is the chief guest at the event.
The gathering comes amid growing pressure on governments in Eastern Africa to demonstrate measurable progress in combating corruption, safeguarding public resources, and ensuring that recovered assets are reinvested into development priorities.
