A corrupted soul has no benchmarks - Wade

  1. Posted on Wednesday 23 June 2010 - 09:00
    Kemo
    Image of Kemo
    Kemo Cham, AfricaNewsreporter in Dakar, Senegal
    Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade has promised to create a special court for economic crimes to ensure speedy prosecution of cases as a means of curtailing what he termed a "scourge of modern times." Sounding rather philosophical, Wade said "a corrupt soul is a soul that does not fix," because it has broken away from the principles of ethics. And he added: "A corrupted soul has no benchmarks."
    Wade
    Wade told a sub regional forum in Dakar on the implementation of the UN convention against corruption and strengthening capacity of national institutions in West Africa that theft and misappropriation have more negative effects on Africa than the developed world, “because our resources are scarce."

    Opposition against labelling Africa

    The Dakar forum also served as an opportunity for the Senegalese leader to reiterate his strongly expressed opposition to what he sees as an unfair trend of exclusively linking Africa to corruption.

    He called on his counterparts on the continent to resist the stereotype. "We need to be uninhibited against those who make us think that our countries are corrupt. I reject that and I cannot accept it," he said.

    Saying that Africa is composed of small countries with limited resources, Wade argued that such “does not make it a receptacle of all evils.”

    "Anytime I hear such statements I will rise against it,” Wade warned.

    He added: "Corruption exists in all countries of the world … corruption exists in developed countries. There is no exception."

    The Senegalese head of state challenged developed countries to help in the course of the fight against corruption. He emphasized that it was not his place to search for offenders, citing the existence of the principle of separation of powers in his country.

    "Provide information if there are former officials or former ministers who have questionable bank accounts,” he said.

    “We have the will to fight corruption," he reassured the gathering.

    Describing his ministers as virtuous, Wade tacitly rule out any possibility of them getting involved in corrupt practices as “they work on budget.” But he was quick to add that he might be naïve about this.

    On drugs, President Wade praised the way the issue is handled in Senegal. He said "all the drugs that pass through from neighboring Guinea Bissau are destroyed." He also rejoiced at the fact that drug usage is not a major issue among "our youth."

    A representative of the regional office of the UN agency against drugs and crime for West and Central Africa (UNODC), Alexander Schmidt, urged participants to synergize their effort for an efficient fight against corruption.

    The three-day regional forum which ends on Wednesday was jointly organized by the National Commission for fight against non-transparency, corruption and embezzlement (CNLCC) and the sub regional office of UNODC).

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