President of the Republic of Botswana, Duma Gideon Boko, has charged Africa’s legal systems to operate with efficiency and integrity, countering crimes without infringing upon civic freedoms.
 
According to a statement by S4C, at the weekend, Boko spoke at the second edition of the Africa Civil Society Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Conference 2025, organised by Africa Civil Society Initiative, in collaboration with the Botswana Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs and the ICIFF University of Botswana.
 
In his opening remarks, the President had pointed out African societies were increasingly characterised by a highly materialised upper class, a vulgarised middle class and a brutalised lower class, with money launderers and terrorism financiers firmly embedded within the upper echelon.
 
He noted that “organised crime is a growing reality in Africa,” adding that “both state and non-state actors, including NPOs, must be willing to undergo painful yet necessary scrutiny to ensure they are not exploited as conduits for illicit activities.”
 
The Executive Director of Spaces for Change (S4C), Mrs Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, had said that over-regulation of the non-profit sector in Africa was hindering the humanitarian activities of Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs).

S4C (West Africa) and Civic Advisory Hub (Uganda), collectively referred to as Africa Civil Society Initiative, convened the 2nd edition of the conference.
 
The three-day conference, themed ‘Placing Civic Space at the Heart of Combating Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism, took place in Gaborone, Botswana, from October 15 to 17, 2025. It brought together key stakeholders, including government ministries and departments, law enforcement agencies, donor bodies, intergovernmental agencies, regional bodies, financial intelligence units, local and international NPOs, diplomatic community, academia and media to mutually reflect on the national and regional efforts to combat money laundering and terrorism financing in Africa, ensuring that civic freedoms lie at the core of the security measures.