The Financial Crimes Commission (FCC), in collaboration with the Southern African Development Community (SADC), hosted a high-level workshop on “Strengthening Board Leadership and Governance in the Fight Against Financial Crimes” on Thursday 31 July 2025, at the Mauritius Revenue Authority Integrated Customs Clearance Centre of the in Le Chaland. The event brought together chairpersons, board members, board secretaries of public bodies, experts from the SADC and PWC, attorney-at-law and senior officials from the FCC to address financial crimes offences, governance challenges and accountability.
Opening the workshop, Mr. Titrudeo Dawoodarry, Acting Director-General of the FCC, stressed the urgent need for public institutions to uphold the highest standards of transparency, accountability, and ethics. He shared that the FCC is currently handling 658 active investigations, including board-level misconduct involving procurement irregularities, abuse of authority, and conflicts of interest. Asset recovery operations have secured over Rs 870 million. Key system reviews are also underway, including an assessment of reward money payments at the Mauritius Police Force, while a review on project management at the Central Water Authority has already been completed.Mr. Dawoodarry underscored that FCC-issued guidelines and recommendations are now legally binding under the FCC Act 2023 and urged board members to go beyond compliance, adopt robust internal controls, and collaborate with oversight bodies to reinforce institutional integrity and public trust.
Her Excellency Mrs. Lisa Simrique Singh, UN Resident Coordinator for Mauritius and Seychelles, delivered the keynote address as Chief Guest. She commended Mauritius for its leadership in combating financial crimes, highlighting the country’s solid legislative framework under the FCC Act 2023 and its alignment with international standards. She underscored the broader regional and global threats posed by illicit financial flows, which undermine governance, public trust, and development. Noting the billions lost annually across Africa, she called for stronger whistleblower protections, inter-agency cooperation, and regional collaboration to disrupt criminal networks. Mauritius’ sustained anti-corruption efforts, including its participation in the UN Convention Against Corruption review cycles and recent training with UNODC, were applauded as models for the continent. Her Excellency emphasised that board leadership must go beyond compliance to foster a culture of integrity and accountability across institutions.
Highlighting the regional significance of the initiative, Mr. Ipyana Musopole, Officer for Anti-Corruption and Good Governance at SADC, stressed on the vulnerability of State-Owned Enterprises across Sub-Saharan Africa. “Without sound corporate governance, SOEs risk becoming liabilities rather than assets,” he warned, noting the critical role of boards as the first line of defence against misconduct.
The workshop’s panel discussions addressed critical aspects of governance and financial crimes. Panel Discussion 1, Strengthening Board Governance in Fighting Financial Crimes, was moderated by Mr. Jean Claude de L’Estrac, Former Minister and Historian. Presentations were given by Mr. Ibrahim Rossaye, Acting Chief Public Relations Officer, Education and Preventive Division, FCC; Mr. Ipyana Musopole, and Mrs. Aruna Radhakeesoon, Attorney at Law and Partner Solicitor (England and Wales).
Panel Discussion 2, Mitigating Financial Crimes Risks in High-Risk Areas, focused on vulnerabilities in public procurement and recruitment. It was moderated by Mr. Musopole, with presentations from Mr. Rajeev Basgeet, Recovery, Forensics and Financial Crime Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Mauritius; Mr. Yousouf Ali Hossenbux, Chief Officer, Education and Preventive Division, FCC; and Mrs. Cooshwantee Amarjit, Senior Officer, Education and Preventive Division, FCC. Participants discussed the underlying causes of governance failures and strategies embedding integrity, strengthening oversight, and reducing excessive discretion in institutional decision-making.
Throughout the workshop, significant emphasis was placed on key issues, including the importance of ensuring board independence and objectivity, elevating financial crime risk management as a strategic priority, fostering a strong culture of ethics and integrity, strengthening independent oversight functions, effectively managing conflicts of interest, and enhancing institutional resilience against financial crimes, among other critical areas.
The workshop concluded with a forward-looking dialogue emphasizing the critical need to translate insights into action. Participants were invited to remain actively involved in the fight against financial crimes and to collaborate closely with the FCC in advancing this national agenda.