Hélder Pitta Grós opened, this Wednesday, the conference on strengthening cooperation with Angola, within the scope of the Project to Support the Strengthening of the National Asset Confiscation System in Angola (Pró-React), financed with 2.5 million euros by the European Union (EU).
According to Hélder Pitta Grós, the partnership with the EU and the United Nations Organization on Drugs and Crime (ONUDC) has essentially been marked by training actions, to put human capital at the center of attention, "equipping them with modern tools to fully carry out its work, allowing investigations to be carried out that lead to the recovery of the proceeds of crime".
The project started in 2021, which is expected to end in November, promoted the training of a total of 31 trainers, also benefiting 440 professionals with training actions.
The Attorney General of the Republic considered it "illusory" to think that asset recovery can be achieved without the support of international partners, "given that the increasingly sophisticated mechanisms adopted by criminals to withdraw and domicile resources in different jurisdictions and different also the place where the crimes are committed, make the action of Justice difficult, therefore wanting increasingly fruitful international cooperation".
Speaking to the press, Hélder Pitta Grós highlighted the need to carry out a joint study between several national institutions together with the EU and the ONUDC to better identify other areas of cooperation.
"We intend to expand the scope of this collaboration, not just in terms of training, but we will be able to see other areas in which this collaboration can in fact be a reality", said Hélder Pitta Grós, indicating the need for computerization of various services and their interconnection with the various institutions, as well as strengthening and consolidating juvenile justice and the issue of controlling penitentiary services, with regard to preventive detention and serving sentences.
In turn, the EU ambassador to Angola, Rosário Bento Pais, said that Pró-React is a very important project in the fight against corruption and all action against money laundering and illicit financial flows, which counts on the EU support for Angola "in this international fight".
Rosário Bento Pais highlighted that the project achieved the main objectives, in terms of legislation and training of trainers, PGR magistrates, among others, announcing that the next project in the area of Justice and corruption that is about to be launched is worth ten million of euros, with actions currently being defined with the various Government bodies and partners.
The diplomat also pointed out as challenges the need to reinforce the collection of fiscal data on financial illicit acts, greater transparency, and to clarify the destination given to recovered assets.
Speaking to the press, the director of the National Asset Recovery Service, Eduarda Rodrigues, admitted that there are weaknesses to be addressed, such as improving transparency, and considerable steps have already been taken with the public disclosure, through a PGR website, of all assets as they are recovered.
"We know that there is still a lot to be done, we have to fine-tune asset management. I think this is our biggest challenge now", she said, adding that in Angola there is no asset management office and sales have been carried out at auctions, with a discussion on "what to do with the seized and recovered properties".
