Michael S. Greco
President, American Bar Association
Address at Reception for ABA-Africa Partners
Windsor Hotel
Nairobi, Kenya
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
I begin by offering special thanks to the people and organizations who are partnering
with the American Bar Association’s Africa Law Initiative to promote the rule of law in East Africa
and across the continent:
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The Law Society of Kenya
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The Kenya Police/Criminal Investigation Department
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Ripe for Harvest, Inc.
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Global Child Hope International
The American Bar Association’s activities to promote the rule of law internationally are
among the most important functions of the Association.
As President of the ABA, I have had the privilege to meet with many government
officials, judges, attorneys and leaders of nongovernmental organizations around the world to
discuss ways in which legal and judicial systems can be improved. I have learned as much
from them as I have been able to share about the American legal system and the work of the
ABA.
Through its international rule of law initiatives, the ABA partners with bar associations,
judges associations, government officials, nongovernmental organizations, human rights
advocates and others to promote locally-based solutions to problems facing legal and judicial
systems. The ABA offers models and potential solutions based on our experience in the United
States, but we do not seek to impose the American legal or judicial system on another country.
We recognize that strategies for improving legal and judicial systems must be devised
and implemented by leaders in each country where we have a presence. We hope that the
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technical legal assistance and educational opportunities that we provide help to strengthen the
local solutions that you and your counterparts around the world are advancing.
The strength of the ABA’s international programs lies in the dedication of its members,
who give of their time and expertise to enhance the practice of law internationally, promote the
rule of law around the world, and help to build stable legal and judicial systems. Allow me to
cite a few statistics that illustrate the impact that the ABA and its members have on the world
stage:
With more than 414,000 members, we are able to call upon the entire American legal
community to assist in our international initiatives.
By conservative estimates, these lawyers have donated more than $150 million of pro
bono legal assistance to the ABA’s international programs.
The ABA currently has projects to promote the rule of law and stable legal systems in
over 40 countries.
These projects are coordinated by four regional councils working in Africa, Asia, Latin
America, and Central Europe and Eurasia.
Our projects are concentrated in several thematic areas that promote judicial reform and
integrity, strengthen the legal profession and support legal educational systems, combat
corruption and human trafficking, and promote gender equality, to name a few areas.
ABA-Africa is led by a Council of distinguished lawyers and judges with broad expertise
in legal issues facing the continent.
This Saturday, here in Nairobi ABA-Africa is sponsoring a regional training conference
on human trafficking issues for prosecutors from several East African nations, including Kenya.
I am honored to be giving the keynote remarks at this conference, which will help give
prosecutors in East Africa greater tools to combat the scourge of human trafficking.
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I also want to say a few words about the importance of professional ethics and integrity
in the legal profession and in public service.
I have always believed that judges and lawyers occupy a special position in society.
They hold a sacred public trust – to uphold the rule of law and defend the freedoms of the
people from attack by overzealous governments, corporations, and private citizens who place
their personal greed and ambitions above the public good. I commend you and your colleagues
who are working to promote the rule of law and combat corruption.
On the long plane trip to reach Kenya from the United States, I read about the
experiences of John Githongo, former Permanent Secretary for Ethics and Governance in the
Office of the President of Kenya. His work reminds us all that it requires constant vigilance to
maintain the highest standards of ethics and professionalism.
Those who stand up against corruption, often at great personal risk, are to be
commended – they deserve our thanks and our support. Their brave actions show us the way
to a brighter future for all members of society – one that is free from the corruption, graft,
bribery, and influence-peddling that plagues too many governments and institutions around the
world at the expense of the people.
We have a long tradition of whistle-blowing in the United States that has uncovered
official corruption and helped to restore public trust in governments and other institutions. But
those who courageously blow the whistle on wrongdoing still face retaliation and isolation – in
the United States, in Kenya, and in too many other nations around the world.
We are no strangers to official corruption in the United States – just last week, the former
governor of the State of Illinois, George Ryan, who gained international respect for imposing a
moratorium on the death penalty in Illinois, was convicted on 19 counts of racketeering
conspiracy, mail fraud, lying to investigators, and filing false tax returns.
When it comes to official corruption, we must change the culture and the laws around
the world that fail to protect whistle-blowers – and we must empower more honest and
trustworthy people to serve in key governmental positions.
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The most effective watchdogs are always inside the gates – not down the road, and
certainly not in exile.
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Thank you again for your generous hospitality and your partnership with ABA-Africa.
You have my best wishes, and I look forward to spending the coming week in your
beautiful country and learning more about your efforts to promote the rule of law and a strong
and independent legal profession and judiciary.
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