Lusaka | October 14, 2025 – In a coordinated effort to enhance Zambia’s legal and institutional response to serious financial and economic crimes, the Steering Committee of the Inter-Agency Framework on Collaboration and Coordination in Asset Recovery held its quarterly meeting today at the Office of the Auditor General in Lusaka.
The high-level session brought together the heads of Zambia’s law enforcement and regulatory institutions, confirming the country’s strong, collective stance against complex financial, environmental, and transnational crimes.
The meeting was chaired by Auditor General Dr. Ron Mwambwa, who stood in for the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Chairperson of the Steering Committee, who was attending to other official duties.
The Committee’s agenda focused on several pressing challenges requiring coordinated, cross-agency intervention. Although many deliberations remain classified, among the less sensitive issues tabled included the need to curb illegal mining operations and their far-reaching consequences which range from environmental degradation, pollution and loss of state revenue. The rise of financial ventures and Ponzi schemes with the Committee stressing that public education alone is not enough and that enforcement actions must also extend to individuals who knowingly participate in or facilitate such schemes. Further, the Committee reviewed ongoing investigations into alleged illegal land sales and allocations within the Lusaka National Park.
Guided by a spirit of collaboration and integrity, the Steering Committee serves as a trusted steward working to ensure that its responses are not only effective and lawful, but also grounded in the shared values of fairness, justice, and public trust.
To provide context, the Inter-Agency Framework was established as a structured platform for collaboration among Zambia’s key investigative and enforcement agencies. It was created to enhance coordination and eliminate duplication of effort in asset recovery and financial crime investigations.
It operates through two key bodies which are:
- The Steering Committee which is made up of all the heads of the 21 member institutions. This body provides strategic oversight and policy direction. It convenes quarterly to guide Zambia’s main asset recovery and anti-corruption efforts.
- The Technical Committee of the Framework is its operational arm, which meets monthly and brings together senior technical experts from all the member institutions. It is responsible for coordinating joint investigations, facilitating real-time intelligence sharing, and committees to tackle specific cases or emerging challenges.
Today’s meeting served as a powerful example of the Framework’s role as an essential platform for national strategy and coordination. Through this initiative, Zambia continues to build a coordinated, whole-of-government approach to asset recovery, anti-corruption, and sustainable development isolation in the pursuit of justice and accountability.