The African Development Bank (AfDB) and South Africa’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) have formalised a new partnership to strengthen the fight against corruption across the continent. Both institutions signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on July 3, 2025, at the SIU headquarters in Pretoria, focusing on asset recovery, training, whistleblower protection, and stronger governance practices.
The agreement was signed by Paula Santos Da-Costa, Director of the AfDB’s Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption, and Advocate Andy Mothibi, Head of the SIU. The MoU outlines areas of cooperation such as technical assistance, capacity building, research, and specialised training programmes aimed at improving institutional accountability.
Santos Da-Costa said the collaboration was an opportunity to safeguard public resources and ensure they are channelled towards Africa’s development priorities. She highlighted South Africa’s achievements in asset recovery, adding that lessons from the SIU would strengthen the AfDB’s integrity review processes already being implemented in member states.
Advocate Mothibi described the partnership as timely, noting that it coincides with South Africa’s G20 presidency in 2025 — a position that places integrity and governance at the centre of international policy discussions. He emphasised that the agreement must translate into concrete workplans that address key issues such as asset recovery, immigration, border management, and even health sector accountability.
Both leaders stressed the need for stronger whistleblower protection, describing it as essential to sustaining anti-corruption efforts across Africa. They agreed that building trust for those who expose wrongdoing is critical to ensuring accountability in public and private institutions.
The AfDB said the MoU reinforces its mandate of promoting transparency and good governance in African projects. For the SIU, the partnership creates a platform to share expertise and expand its influence beyond South Africa. Both sides believe the agreement will not only advance regional cooperation but also contribute meaningfully to global governance debates under South Africa’s G20 leadership.
