Latest content: Governance and law

Experts from around the Commonwealth have been meeting in London this week to craft legislative guidance on how to effectively regulate the use of virtual currencies which will allow member states to reap the benefits of the new technology but also guard against its abuse.

The legal frameworks and mechanisms of Seychelles have been strengthened further, following capacity building and technical assistance from Commonwealth experts.

The Commonwealth is assisting Guyana to create the regulations, policies and legislation it needs for a new petroleum industry that could inject billions into its economy.

Businesses in Cameroon are poised to take advantage of new proposals to boost their digital economy.

Each year, between US $1.5 to $2 trillion is lost from the global economy in bribes, not counting forgone tax revenues and economic growth. Africa alone is drained of US $50 billion annually due to illicit financial flows, of which corruption is a major component.

Heads and senior leaders of the 19 Commonwealth anti-corruption agencies in Africa have called for countries to find ways to strengthen cooperation and partnership in the tracing, recovering and the returning of assets.

Reforming audit frameworks to strengthen good governance was at the heart of discussions amongst public officials from Africa and the Caribbean at a five-day workshop in Ghana.

Nigeria’s foreign minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, has praised the leadership of Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland and the work being carried out by the Secretariat.

Commonwealth countries in Africa say they are working together to recover millions of dollars by seizing assets from criminals and corrupt officials.

The Commonwealth is creating new resources to help judges and prosecutors confiscate and recover stolen assets in money laundering and financing of terrorism.

The Commonwealth is set to host a timely exchange-learning programme that aims to improve the management of public finance.

A meeting of Caribbean judges and prosecutors will help to identify strategies to strengthen money laundering and terrorist financing laws, says Guyana President David Granger.

Human rights work across Commonwealth countries received a major boost during a recent biennial summit.

Commonwealth countries have unanimously committed to take action on cybersecurity between now and 2020, following a landmark declaration.

Dedicated bodies that will help lawmakers tackle cross-border crime across the Commonwealth have been proposed at a meeting in London.

Experts in international environmental ocean law met at the Commonwealth headquarters last week to discuss environmental damages liability in relation to seabed mining and mineral exploitation.

A five-day high level training programme to improve the management of Uganda’s Inspectorate of Government and Directorate of Public Prosecution has just been delivered by the Commonwealth in Jinja, Uganda.

Last November Goodenough College and The Royal Commonwealth Society brought together four experts to discuss and debate the role that education can play in putting youth at the forefront of fostering stability, change, and a peaceful future.

Leading political figures from across the spectrum have united in calling on Cameroonians to engage in dialogue to resolve the ongoing challenges within the country.

The Secretary-General of the Commonwealth has called for unity and peace during a meeting with the President of Cameroon.

The Commonwealth joined Mauritius’ Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) to commemorate the UN’s International Anti-Corruption Day on December 9.

Training for youth leaders aimed at countering violent radicalisation among young people will be delivered next week, 11-15 December, at Marlborough House, London.

Law reform agencies are vital in setting the pace for law reform and also challenging law makers. That was one of the key messages at the 2017 Annual Conference of the Association of Law Reform Agencies of Eastern and Southern Africa (ALRAESA), held in Nairobi, Kenya, with the theme Role of Law Reform Agencies in Emerging Democracies.

The Commonwealth Secretariat’s new guide to law reform and legislative drafting manual are being presented in Nairobi this week at the AGM and conference of the Association of Law Reform Agencies of Eastern and Southern Africa.