Arusha. Tanzania’s Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa has reaffirmed the country’s commitment to the fight against corruption, describing it as a national priority crucial for sustainable development and national security.

Speaking on behalf of President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the opening of the Southern Africa Development Cooperation(SADC) Anti-Corruption Heads Workshop and the 20th Anniversary Commemoration of the SADC Protocol Against Corruption, held on August 4, 2025, in Arusha, Majaliwa emphasized the urgent need for deeper regional collaboration to combat the growing threat of corruption.

“We must acknowledge that corruption is a serious threat to security. It fuels organized crime, human trafficking, terrorism, and the erosion of the rule of law,” said Majaliwa.

The SADC Protocol Against Corruption was signed on August 14, 2001, in Blantyre, Malawi, and officially came into force in 2005. The 20th anniversary marks a significant milestone in the region’s ongoing efforts to address corruption through a coordinated legal and policy framework.

The workshop, themed “The SADC Protocol Against Corruption @20 – Facilitating Sustainable Cooperation for Economic Integration, Peace, Security, and Good Governance in the SADC Region,” provides a platform for regional leaders and stakeholders to reflect on two decades of implementation, assess progress, identify gaps, and chart future priorities and recommendations.

Majaliwa noted that the SADC Protocol Against Corruption remains a vital instrument in promoting good governance, peace, and sustainable regional integration. He urged member states to strengthen efforts to fight corruption, emphasizing that while the road ahead may be long, collective determination and political will can deliver a corruption-free SADC region.

“The road ahead may be long, but we must not envision failure. With sustained cooperation, strategic vision, and political will, we can and must build a corruption-free SADC region,” he said.

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Over the past two decades of the protocol’s implementation, Majaliwa highlighted significant progress, including increased cooperation among anti-corruption agencies through information sharing, legal collaboration, and joint investigations.

He further stated that SADC member states, including Tanzania, have made strides in recent years by strengthening anti-corruption laws, empowering oversight institutions, and raising public awareness about the harmful effects of corruption on national development.

Speaking during the opening session, Crispin Chalamila, Director General of Tanzania’s Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau(PCCB), and host of the event, highlighted key regional achievements over the past 20 years. These include the development of a standardized curriculum for corruption investigation and prevention, the establishment of a regional monitoring and evaluation framework, and the creation of a regional corruption perception and anti-corruption efforts index.