Much of this assistance has, as you would expect, been provided to central government agencies in order to strengthen their economic management capacity. However, we should not overlook the fact that a central plank of the regional reform agenda is an emphasis on improving the transparency and accountability of the processes of government decision-making. And that is of course precisely the role of an Ombudsman's Office or Leadership Code Commission. That role is shared by a number of other institutions charged with ensuring that executive government is held accountable for its actions and omissions. Those institutions include parliaments, courts, public prosecutors, national audit offices and, in some circumstances, central banks.
Ombudsmen have a dual function here.
Like national human rights bodies, the office of Ombudsman plays both a role in helping to ensure power is used in accountable, effective and equitable ways and in providing a mechanism for channelling complaints and holding other arms of the state to account. But we shouldn t be naive about the difficulties inherent in the position. The office of Ombudsman facilitates public scrutiny of state policies and practices. But it is also part of the state, set up with the specific purpose of providing channels for representation and oversight. This underlies the importance of providing legislation that protects the independence of the Ombudsman.