NAIROBI, Kenya — The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have pledged to deepen cooperation in tackling transnational corruption, illicit financial flows, money laundering, and organised economic crime.
The renewed commitment emerged during a high-level meeting held at EACC headquarters in Nairobi on May 7, where EACC Secretary and Chief Executive Officer Abdi Mohamud hosted FBI Deputy Director Andrew Bailey.
Mohamud described the visit as a significant step in strengthening collaboration between Kenya and the United States in combating increasingly sophisticated cross-border corruption networks.
“Corruption fuels fraud, enables illicit financial flows, and undermines economic, financial, and security systems across jurisdictions,” Mohamud said.
He noted that corruption had evolved into a global threat affecting governance, market competition, and international security, adding that stronger anti-corruption frameworks were critical for economic growth and investor confidence.
The EACC boss said enhanced cooperation with the FBI would support Kenya’s efforts to improve investigations, asset recovery, and intelligence-sharing mechanisms targeting economic crimes and organised criminal networks.
Bailey commended the commission for its ongoing investigations and asset recovery efforts, saying the FBI remained committed to supporting Kenya’s anti-corruption agenda through technical cooperation and operational partnerships.
“The FBI will continue to partner with the Commission in sharing intelligence, strengthening mutual legal assistance, and tracing corruptly acquired assets,” Bailey said.
He revealed that plans were underway to appoint a Regional Transnational Anti-Corruption Programme Manager to coordinate expanded cooperation with the commission in fighting money laundering and illicit financial flows.
Bailey also pledged increased technical support and specialised training for EACC investigators to strengthen forensic and digital investigation capabilities.
Officials said the partnership between the two agencies had already produced significant results through joint operations, training programmes, and institutional support initiatives.
Among the key milestones cited was the establishment of the joint EACC-FBI Task Force in 2024, comprising 24 specialised officers drawn from EACC headquarters and regional offices.
The collaboration has also supported the modernisation of investigative interview rooms and the acquisition of specialised digital investigation software and forensic tools.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to closer collaboration in investigations, intelligence sharing, mutual legal assistance, and institutional capacity-building aimed at disrupting corruption and transnational economic crimes.
