The Governments of Kenya and the United States have agreed to collaborate on anti-corruption initiatives, according to a joint statement.
The agreement acknowledges the shared values of democracy, rule of law, integrity, and good governance between the two nations. It recognizes the progress made by both governments in implementing reforms to improve governance, transparency, and accountability.
Key Commitments ¶
- The two governments will work together to combat corruption in Kenya, with quarterly meetings to review progress.
- They will focus on four action areas: entrenching good governance and combating corruption, implementing and reinforcing international anti-corruption initiatives and standards, expanding the use of technology to reduce opportunities for corruption, and ensuring accountability for corruption and mismanagement.
The Government of Kenya has committed to introducing compulsory ethics training for all public officials, launching new national civic awareness and education programs, and establishing a code of conduct for the civil service. The US Government will provide assistance in developing ethics training curriculum and support the implementation of eGovernment systems.
International Cooperation ¶
The two governments will work together to implement international anti-corruption initiatives, including the UN Convention Against Corruption and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. They will also cooperate on asset recovery and prevention of transfers of proceeds of crime.
The US Government will share its experience with the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and provide assistance to help Kenya implement the initiative. The Government of Kenya will release its second Open Government Partnership National Action Plan and fully implement the commitments made in it.
Technology and Accountability ¶
The Government of Kenya will leverage technology to reduce opportunities for corruption, including finalizing a complaints and corruption reporting web portal and publishing data on complaints received. The US Government will provide assistance in evaluating the potential to provide assistance in Kenya under the Global Procurement Initiative.
The two governments will work together to ensure accountability for corruption and mismanagement, including strengthening the capacity of independent oversight bodies and providing technical assistance to enhance police accountability.
The recovered account cited reporting by Nation.
