China and African Nations Join Forces to Promote Clean Governance

Training programme in Egypt brings together representatives from 22 African countries to explore ways of strengthening anti-corruption measures and improving governance.

Efforts to protect public resources and strengthen accountability are becoming an important part of China-Africa cooperation, with a new training programme bringing African representatives together to share experiences and explore ways of tackling corruption.

The weeklong China-Egypt Regional Training Programme on Anti-Corruption for African countries opened in Cairo, Egypt, with 29 participants from 22 African countries, including Zimbabwe, attending the programme.Organised jointly by the China Academy of Discipline Inspection and Supervision (CADIS) and Egypt’s Administrative Control Authority (ACA), the initiative focuses on strengthening the capacity of African institutions to prevent corruption, recover stolen assets and improve cooperation across borders.

The programme reflects a growing focus on governance as part of relations between China and African countries, which have traditionally centred on political cooperation, infrastructure development, trade and economic growth. Speaking at the opening, CADIS vice president Cai Zhiqiang said relations between China and Africa had developed over time, creating opportunities for cooperation in new areas.

He explained that the relationship had moved from mutual support during struggles for independence to infrastructure development and, more recently, cooperation in fighting corruption. Cai said China was prepared to share its experience in combating corruption while also learning from African countries as they work to protect national resources and promote accountable governance.

He outlined China’s approach to anti-corruption, which is guided by President Xi Jinping’s governance framework and combines strict discipline, institutional reforms and education to discourage corrupt practices. The approach is built around the principle that officials should not dare to engage in corruption, should not have the opportunity to do so and should not want to engage in such conduct.

The framework seeks to address corruption not only through disciplinary action but also by strengthening institutions and promoting ethical conduct among public officials.For African countries, the discussions provide an opportunity to examine different approaches to addressing corruption and consider how these experiences could inform their own systems and institutions.

However, each country faces its own governance challenges, making it important for participating institutions to consider their national circumstances when developing anti-corruption strategies. Mohamed El-Ngomy, head of international cooperation at Egypt’s Administrative Control Authority, said the programme demonstrated a shared commitment to building stronger systems to fight corruption across Africa.

He said the training was intended to improve the capacity of participating countries to develop practical solutions suited to their needs while protecting national resources.Hesham El-Rakaybi, director of the Egyptian Anti-Corruption Academy, also highlighted the importance of professional training and regional cooperation in preventing and combating corruption.

The programme covers several areas, including anti-corruption strategies, asset recovery, international cooperation and capacity building for institutions responsible for tackling graft. Asset recovery is particularly important in efforts to address corruption because it focuses on tracing and recovering resources obtained through unlawful activities. Cooperation between countries can assist investigations when financial transactions or assets cross national borders.

The training also highlights the role of specialised institutions in equipping officials with the knowledge and skills needed to identify corruption risks, strengthen oversight and improve enforcement. As African countries continue to pursue economic development, protecting public resources remains important to ensuring that money intended for public services and development programmes serves its intended purpose.

Through initiatives such as the Cairo training programme, China and its African partners are seeking to expand cooperation beyond traditional economic and infrastructure projects to include governance and institutional capacity building. The longer-term value of the initiative will depend on how participating countries apply the lessons learned to strengthen their own anti-corruption systems and improve accountability at home.