Delineating the role of foreign governments in the fight against corruption in Africa.

Corruption on the African continent unfolds two unique trends: first, the involvement of senior state officials in the perpetration of grand corruption; and secondly, the illicit and surreptitious transfer of stolen assets and funds beyond Africa's borders. As such, African States are heavily drained of their resources when corruption is committed. Foreign states become safe havens for stolen assets from Africa which makes Africa's development stagnated, paralysed and hijacked by the perpetrators. Compounded by a litany of challenges such as weak institutions; poorly written laws; a culture of impunity; the absence of the rule of law; a widening gap between the rich and the poor; the pangs of underdevelopment; undermanned and under-resourced anti-corruption institutions and a sheer absence of a strong political will, the fight against corruption in Africa is one of Africa's biggest battles. While some national efforts to overcome this invisible enemy amongst the African people (corruption) may be commended, it is clear that such efforts themselves are insufficient and ineffective: a holistic approach is more than needed, especially given the trends in which grand corruption in particular is committed. Borrowing from relevant international legal instruments, this paper argues that it is a moral and legal imperative for non-African States to enjoin Africa in its fight against corruption. In making this thesis, this paper identifies and discusses the different ways in which such non-African states can help Africa in its fight against corruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]