Journalists trained on effectively reporting on illicit financial flows

Illicit financial flows (IFFs) are a substantial and often hidden loss to Uganda’s development, frequently overlooked by the media due to a lack of knowledge about the subject. These illicit outflows represent a significant loss of revenue that could be invested in critical sectors such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure.

Recognising the crucial role of journalists in exposing financial wrongdoing, ACME and SEATINI-Uganda collaborated on a five-day training held between 22 and 26 July to equip reporters with the tools to uncover and report on IFFs. By increasing media scrutiny of these financial crimes, the course sought to promote transparency and accountability in public
finances.

SEATINI-U, a leading civil society organisation focused on finance and development, is currently implementing a programme on financing for development. This work highlights the challenges faced by the region, including unfair policies favouring corporations and the wealthy, rampant corruption leading to illicit financial flows, and the limited capacity of government institutions to expand the tax base, such as through effective taxation of the extractive sector. ACME, with its longstanding commitment to media development, has conducted several IFFs reporting trainings across Africa, including Uganda. Together, the organisations’ complementary competencies position them to effectively address these challenges and drive positive change.

The eleven journalists (pictured below) are expected to produce in-depth reports on IFFs and domestic resource mobilisation in the coming months.