ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary--General Antonio Guterres on Sunday called for strengthening partnership with the African Union (AU) on fighting corruption.
Guterres, speaking at the opening session of the 30th African Union (AU) Assembly of Heads of State and Government on Sunday, said the UN commends the AU for its focus on corruption and is ready to offer support to tackle it.
The 30th AU summit, which kicked of Monday, is being conducted under the theme "Winning the Fight against Corruption: A Sustainable Path to Africa's Transformation." The biannual summit will last until Jan.29.
"Corruption contributes to the trafficking of people and drugs, and the plundering of natural resources and wildfire. It can undermine trust in governments, compromising peace and security," he said.
According to Guterres, for every dollar given in official development assistance, a dollar is lost to corruption.
"Combating corruption, tax evasion, and illicit financial flows requires an unimpeachable commitment to transparency and accountability," he remarked.
The UN is already working with national anti-corruption commissions to end impunity and bring perpetrators to justice.
"Together, we can end this menace and make sure the public funding and investments go where they're needed the most," said Guterres.
