University of Toronto G8 Information Centre


Summit Documents

Compact to Promote Transparency and Combat Corruption:
A New Partnership between the G8 and Nigeria

Sea Island, June 10, 2004

Nigeria and the members of the G8 announce today their intention to cooperate in a "Compact to Promote Transparency and Combat Corruption." Nigeria and the G8 share the view that corruption is a threat to democratic institutions, economic development and to the integrity of the international system of trade and investment. Nigeria and the members of the G8 recognize that promoting transparency and integrity and fighting corruption require commitment and action on all sides. Outlined below are the intentions and policy commitments of the G8 and Nigeria as they pursue cooperation through the Compact in a spirit of partnership and mutual respect.

Statement of the Government of Nigeria

The Government of Nigeria wishes to commit to partnership and cooperation with the G8 in the continuing implementation of the comprehensive national anti-corruption strategy as a pivotal step for accelerating the rebuilding of our National Integrity Systems. The anti-corruption strategy is situated within the framework of a whole set of structural reforms (detailed measures of which are available on the website Ð www.fmf.gov.ng) designed to lay a foundation for sustained economic growth and development for the country. These reforms are anchored around:

(a) Maintenance of Macro Economic Stability;

(b) Public Expenditure/Budget Reforms and Public Revenue Reforms;

(c) Public Sector/Reforms

(d) Accelerated Privatization and Liberalization

(e) Anti-corruption, Transparency and Accountability Reforms.

OUR POLICY COMMITMENTS

We have in response to the malignance of corruption to our development designed and are currently implementing a broad and systemic anti-corruption strategy as a flagship of our economic, political and social reforms. The anti-corruption program of the Government includes concrete measures -- preventive as well as punitive -- that address issues of accountability, transparency and efficiency by fundamentally tackling the problems of our institutional, economic, political and social structures.

The range of the anti-corruption, transparency and good governance programs of our Government includes budgetary and fiscal transparency, procurement reforms, strengthening anti-corruption and economic crimes institutions for effective law enforcement and sanction of corruption and money laundering, privatisation transparency, public sector/bureaucratic reforms, judicial and justice sector reforms, tracing, freezing and recovery of corruption proceeds and general re-orientation of the public.

More specifically, the following underpin the priority efforts of our Government to enthrone transparency, accountability, efficiency and effectiveness in governance of both public financial resources and governance of the political and social infrastructure of our country:

BUDGET AND FISCAL TRANSPARENCY:

The Budget formulation process, presentation, consultation, implementation and monitoring is being done with clear rules, roles and responsibilities.

PUBLIC PROCUREMENT LEGISLATION, POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION

To ensure good use of financial resources and enhance competition, the GON has introduced stringent and enforced guidelines for public contracting.

EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRY TRANSPARENCY INITIATIVE ANTI-CORRUPTION INSTITUTIONS BUILD-UP

Cognizant of the importance of institutions that enforce anti-corruption laws to an effective anti-corruption strategy, the GON has strengthened a number of the core institutions statutorily empowered to investigate, prosecute and sanction corruption.

PUBLIC SERVICE REFORM

JOINT ACTIONS WITH G8 PARTNERS

We invite the G8 to work with us in further broadening and deepening these various programs already under implementation through a collaborative process of identifying any gaps that may exist in our Strategy. The map of our various programs detailing objectives, responsibility for action, expected impact, timelines and possible partners clearly elaborates the areas of priority for our national integrity renewal.

We wish to reiterate our unreserved commitment to continuing to pursue the transparency program of our Government, as the results have already began to show.

We urge our G8 Partners to match our commitment to the transparency program so that together, we can accelerate the pace at which our country rebuilds its national integrity and plays the pivotal role that it is positioned to play both in Africa and the rest of the world.

Statement of the G8 Governments
General Statement of Policy Commitments

For their part, G8 countries committed at Evian and Sea Island to act together to fight corruption and increase transparency. At Sea Island , the G8 agreed to pursue specific actions to follow up their Evian commitments. As set forth in more detail in their Declarations in Evian and Sea Island, the G8 intend to:

Proposed Actions to Launch a Nigeria Transparency Compact

A number of G8 countries are prepared to work to find ways to support the efforts of Nigeria to enhance transparency, use public resources wisely and fight corruption. Participating G8 countries intend to join in a voluntary and cooperative partnership with Nigeria to help improve transparency in the specific areas identified as national priorities by the Government of Nigeria. The future work plan for the transparency compact is expected to focus on efforts to promote transparency and prevent corruption in the following areas:

These are the key channels for public resource management and use.

Participating G8 countries intend to work in consultation with the Government of Nigeria to consider, within their budgetary possibilities, country-specific technical assistance, political support and policy guidance in areas where Nigeria identifies a need for capacity building to enhance transparency. G8 partners may help to support efforts by the Nigerian authorities to make information available to the public, to develop appropriate rules and regulations and to build support for pro-transparency reform among domestic constituencies. Assistance from participating G8 partners may include stepped-up coordination with the international financial institutions to ensure that new assistance complements existing and future transparency work with Nigeria in those institutions.

Next Steps

Representatives of the Government of Nigeria and of participating G8 countries intend to meet soon to carry the compact forward to the next operational stage. The participating partner countries intend to work together to develop a technical plan of action. The technical plans would be based upon Nigeria 's stated priorities to build on its current efforts and actions in the realm of transparency and public financial management and accountability.

Participating G8 countries and the Government of Nigeria further intend to adopt a procedure to measure and evaluate progress as the pilot compact moves forward.

[top of page]

Source: Official G8 Sea Island site

G8 Centre
Top
This Information System is provided by the University of Toronto Library and the G8 Research Group at the University of Toronto.
Please send comments to: g8@utoronto.ca
This page was last updatedAugust 15, 2024.

All contents copyright © 2004. University of Toronto unless otherwise stated. All rights reserved.