The EU announced on Monday that it is launching a new project entitled “Building Libya’s National Capacity to Prevent and Combat Corruption and Money Laundering”. This project will be in collaboration with United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI).
The project which will last three years and is funded by the European Union with 2.5 million Euros, is expected to train Libyan authorities and law enforcement agencies to enable them to better combat corruption and financial crimes. Authorities will also receive trainings in techniques to trace, confiscate, and recover assets linked to such crimes.
This new project will be complementary to other initiatives financed by the European Union aimed at improving governance of national and local institutions, to contribute to fair and transparent management of public funds in Libya.
While welcoming the project, Cristina Albertin, UNODC Regional Representative for the Middle East and North Africa said “This joint project is a testament to the shared commitment of the European Union, UNODC and UNICRI to support Libya in building long-term sustainable national capacities to counter corruption and money laundering. This new intervention supplements and expands UNODC’s long-standing partnership with Libyan Authorities in countering trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants, related financial crimes and terrorism financing as well as in supporting prison reform.”
According to UNICRI’s Director Antonia Marie De Meo, “Libyans have suffered from corruption for too long. They deserve accountability and transparency from all public officials. The Libyan people should also benefit from the recovery of stolen assets which – when recovered – can be directed to key public sectors such as health care and education.” The Libyan Government has already been receiving assistance from UNICRI in tracing assets valued at hundreds of millions of US dollars, the statement said.
Also according to the press statement, the European Union, in collaboration with UNODC and UNICRI, will strengthen Libya’s criminal justice system, to investigate and prosecute corruption and related financial crimes, through this new project.
The principal beneficiaries of the project include the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NAAC), the Administrative Control Authority (ACA), the Audit Bureau, the Central Bank of Libya (CBL), the Financial Information Unit, the Ministry of Interior, the Office of the Attorney General, the Ministry of Justice, the National Economic Development Board (NEDB) and the Libyan Asset Recovery and Management Office.
Project experts will employ the services of civil society organizations and universities to enhance their capacity to prevent corruption and promote a culture of integrity and transparency in Libyan society, the statement concluded.