Participants at a high-level regional convening in Accra have adopted the Accra Declaration on Regulating Financing of Politics to Advance Democratic Integrity in Africa, calling for coordinated continental action to strengthen transparency, accountability and integrity in political financing.
The declaration was adopted at the High-Level Regional Convening on the Financialisation of Politics in Africa: Advancing Reform, Transparency, Accountability, and Democratic Integrity, held in Accra from July 14 to 16.
The three-day event brought together key stakeholders to examine the growing influence of money in politics and its impact on democratic governance across the continent.
It was co-hosted by the Community of Practice on Money in Politics in Africa, the Open Society Foundations, the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Transparency International and the African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption.
According to the declaration, although Africa has recorded significant democratic progress over the past three decades, those gains are increasingly under threat due to the growing influence of money in politics.
It noted that opaque political financing, rising campaign costs, corruption, illicit financial flows, state capture and unequal access to political participation are weakening democratic institutions and eroding public confidence in governance.
The declaration stressed that democratic systems should prioritise citizens rather than financial contributors, insisting that political parties and elected leaders must remain accountable to the people they serve.
It further underscored the public’s right to know who finances political actors, how political resources are utilised and whether political decisions are influenced by private interests.
As part of the commitments made, participants reaffirmed the importance of strengthening political finance regulation and enforcement while safeguarding political freedoms, transparency and democratic competition. They also advocated the use of technology to enhance transparency, accountability and democratic oversight, while promoting inclusive political participation.
The declaration also recognised the establishment of the Community of Practice on Money in Politics in Africa, which was launched during a roundtable meeting in Dakar in March 2026 and expanded through stakeholder engagement in Accra.
The Community of Practice is expected to support the African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption and other African Union institutions in developing a continental Model Law on Political Finance to guide member states in implementing effective political finance reforms.
Participants called on the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the African Union, Regional Economic Communities, governments, parliaments, electoral management bodies, anti-corruption institutions, political parties, the private sector, technology companies, civil society organisations, the media, development partners and citizens to take concrete steps to improve transparency and accountability in political financing across Africa.
To ensure the declaration translates into meaningful action, participants pledged to strengthen the Community of Practice on Money in Politics in Africa as the leading platform for dialogue, peer learning, knowledge exchange, civic education and advocacy.
They also committed to sustained collaboration with the African Union, Regional Economic Communities, member states, research institutions, development partners and other stakeholders to advance political finance reforms and monitor progress on the commitments outlined in the Accra Declaration. The meeting concluded with participants reaffirming their commitment to reclaiming democratic governance for the people of Africa.
