The Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Francis Ben Kaifala Esq., accompanied by the Commission's Coordinator of Operations, Patrick Sandi, represented Sierra Leone at the 8th Annual General Assembly of the Association of African Anti-Corruption Authorities (AAACA), held from 16th to 18th June 2026 at the Central Bank of Kenya Institute of Monetary Studies (CBK-IMS) in Nairobi, Kenya.
The Assembly was convened under the theme: “Strengthening Cooperation and Institutional Innovation for an Effective Fight Against Corruption in Africa.” Discussions focused on strengthening collaboration among African anti-corruption institutions, enhancing the sustainability and effectiveness of the Association, and advancing innovative approaches to corruption prevention and enforcement across the continent.
A major outcome of the Assembly was the official launch of the Centre for Research and Studies in Anti-Corruption (CEREAC), a continental institution established to promote research, capacity building, knowledge sharing, and professional development for anti-corruption practitioners in Africa.
The Assembly also conducted elections for the Association's Executive Committee, comprising the President, First and Second Vice Presidents, and Regional Representatives for West, East, Central, North, and Southern Africa.
The meeting marked the conclusion of Commissioner Kaifala's tenure as West Africa Regional Representative on AAACA's Executive Committee, a position to which he was unanimously elected on 22nd June 2022 during the Association's 5th Annual General Assembly in Bujumbura, Burundi.
During his tenure, Commissioner Kaifala contributed to several strategic initiatives that strengthened the Association and expanded its continental reach. These include efforts that culminated in the establishment of CEREAC, as well as the expansion of AAACA's membership to additional African countries, including Morocco, Libya, the Republic of Congo, and The Gambia.
Commissioner Kaifala's service on the Executive Committee coincided with a period of growing visibility and influence for African anti-corruption institutions, driven by stronger regional cooperation, increased knowledge exchange, and the promotion of innovative anti-corruption practices across the continent.
Following the elections, Commissioner Kaifala was succeeded as West Africa Regional Representative by the Chairperson of the Liberian Anti-Corruption Commission, Cllr. Alexandra Kormah Zoe.
Beyond AAACA, Commissioner Kaifala continues to serve in several continental anti-corruption leadership roles. In 2020, he was elected to the Africa Advisory Board on Corruption. He is also a former President of the Network of Anti-Corruption Institutions in West Africa (NACIWA) and currently serves as the West Africa Sub-Regional Representative of the Association of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Commonwealth Africa (AAACoA), having been elected at the Association's 14th Commonwealth Regional Conference and Annual General Meeting held in Accra, Ghana, in May 2024.
The participation of the ACC delegation in the Assembly underscores Sierra Leone's continued commitment to international cooperation, knowledge sharing, and collective action in the fight against corruption.
AAACA is a continental network of anti-corruption institutions established to strengthen collaboration among member agencies and support the effective prevention, detection, investigation, and combating of corruption across Africa. The Association operates in alignment with the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (AUCPCC).
