Lessons from China for Africa's anti-graft efforts

CHINA embodies the economic progress and political independence that African countries strive for. A country with a recent history not unlike Africa’s own, with relatively similar challenges, yet it continues to surge ahead, overcoming hurdles that still hold many African countries back.

- PROFESSOR DAVID MONYAE

THE eighth Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) Symposium concluded in Hong Kong, South China, on May 24, 2024 where the 'Hong Kong Declaration on Strengthening International Cooperation in Preventing and Fighting Corruption' was adopted.

(Xinhua/AFP)

Whether admired or critiqued, its ability to deliver tangible development to its people suggests a governance formula worth examining closely and learning from. For instance, what can African countries learn from China's “eight-point decision”?

When the Communist Party of China (CPC) introduced the “eight-point decision” in December 2012, few imagined that such a brief set of tules would spark one of the most significant transformations in China’s modern governance. It was met with skepticism by many observers who viewed it as a modest administrative adjustment.

However, more than a decade later, this policy has evolved from a modest directive into a cornerstone of China’s political renewal. It has become a transformative force in Chinese governance, reforming the political culture, reshaping how leaders behave, how institutions function and changing how citizens perceive their government by restoring public trust.

For African nations grappling with corruption, bureaucratic inefficiency and elite detachment from the people, the “eight-point decision” offers a compelling model for African nations striving to strengthen accountability, improve public service delivery and rebuild trust in leadership and governance.

The decision came at a pivotal moment when public frustration with official extravagance, empty meetings, and the widening gap between state officials and citizens threatened the legitimacy of the political system.