The Alliance for Integrity at German-African Business Summit - Workshop on Business Integrity in Africa and Germany attracts over 40 participants

In the forefront of the German-African Business Summit 2017 in Nairobi, the Alliance for Integrity organised a workshop on business integrity in Africa and Germany. Due to the undermining force of corruption on two of the main strategical objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): poverty reduction and sustainable business development, the fight against corruption in gaining momentum. In order to prevent corruption within the economic system, business integrity needs to be enhanced.

The more than 40 workshop participants from various African countries and Germany were welcomed by Julia Arnold, Managing Director International Markets at the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK). Her welcome was followed by an input from Olusoji Apampa, Founder and Executive of the Integrity Organisation and Co-Founder, Executive Vice-Chairman and CEO of the Convention on Business Integrity from Nigeria. He addressed the audience with an impulse on business integrity. He described the root causes of corruption in Africa, e.g. the lack of access to finance or to technology. He also highlighted that currently trust and reliability are seen as problems when it comes to business transactions in Africa.

In the following fish bowl discussion on "Enhancing Business Integrity - Challenges in and Practical Solutions from Africa and Germany" questions like the role of business associations in fighting corruption or current challenges regarding anti-corruption efforts in Kenya, Ghana, or Nigeria were discussed by the panel and the audience. The panellists, Olusoji Apampa, James Asare-Adjei, Group Chief Executive of Asadtek Group Ltd., Anne Decrue Reichel, Director AHK Audit and Compliance at the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK), and

Samuel Kimeu, the Executive Director of Transparency International Kenya were also interacting with the audience through questions and the open seat which gave room for inputs from the workshop participants.
Major challenges discussed were the lack of resources in some organisations to counter corruption and how incentives can be used to foster non-corrupt behaviour. The session also left some room for practical solutions, such as the Business Integrity Country Agendas which are currently being developed in several African countries. The workshop was wrapped up with a brief summary by Christina Pfandl, Coordinator Africa at the Alliance for Integrity and thanked the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) for the support in organising the workshop.
The workshop on Business Integrity in Africa and Germany was held in the context of the 2nd German-African Business Summit which took place on 9 and 10 February in Nairobi. The summit was attended by about 500 participants from various African countries and Germany, including the Foreign Minister from Kenya, Amina Mohamed, the German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Dr. Gerd Müller as well as the German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, Brigitte Zypries. In his opening remarks, Dr. Müller emphasised the importance of the fight against corruption in Africa in order to strengthen economic development and foreign private investment. He also highlighted the overall importance of Africa for the work of the G20 under German presidency in 2017.