November 19, 2008 - The ICPAT workshop on legal harmonization for Uganda, scheduled to be held on November 17 and 18 in Entebbe, ended yesterday.Attended by some 40 participants from various Ugandan institutions, the meeting examined the gaps in national law as they relate to terrorism, money laundering, organized crime and corruption, as well as drugs and arms trafficking.Matters that were taken up included international cooperation in the fight against money laundering and financing of terrorism; the challenges of detecting, investigating and combating corruption and organized crime; and the challenges relating to the establishment of a financial intelligence unit for the country.A representative of INTERPOL addressed the meeting.

Participants in general accepted the suggestions put forward in a research paper covering changes that need to be made on some 22 laws. The recommendations are to be forwarded to the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Justice for decision and action.

The meeting was closed by Uganda's State Minister for Internal Affairs Matai Kasaija.

This is the first meeting on legislative harmonization that is being carried out by ICPAT, and from it, lessons are expected to be learnt on how best to assist other member states of IGAD in harmonizing their laws while plugging the gaps in law that research has made evident.

In related news, ICPAT Head Hiruy Amanuel on November 19 delivered to the Ugandan State Minister for Internal Affairs a letter containing steps that have been suggested to be taken by Uganda to strengthen interdepartmental coordination to resist security threats to the country.

(ICPAT information) 

 

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