Delegates take group photo after the 35th Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives' Committee on Jan. 22, 2018. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai)

ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- African ambassadors to the African Union (AU) on Monday stressed the importance of anti-corruption in Africa on the sidelines of the ongoing AU summit in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia.

The 30th AU summit kicked off Monday at the headquarters of the pan-African bloc under the theme "Winning the Fight against Corruption: A Sustainable Path to Africa's Transformation." The biannual summit will last until Jan. 29.

Anti-corruption is one impetus for development, South African Permanent Representative to the AU Ndumiso Ntshinga told Xinhua on the sidelines of the 35th Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives' Committee, which brought together ambassadors of AU member states.

corruption has been identified as one of the biggest problems in Africa, Ntshinga said, as it takes away money that is intended for the poor and for the country's development.

"We are now working towards sensitizing each other about what we can do to actively fight corruption," he said.

According to him, Africa has made achievements in anti-corruption, including moving a number of African countries out of the mire of corruption and channelling more sources to the public cause.

Abou bakr Hefny Mahmoud, Egyptian Permanent Representative to the AU, said China has done a lot in anti-corruption and has gained good experience. Anti-corruption could be one of the cooperation between Africa and China, said the envoy.

Kenyan Permanent Representative to the AU Catherine Muigai Mwangi said many African countries have faced the challenge of corruption, which has stood in the way of development and pulled Africa back.

There is need to pay particular attention to the vice, to make all of member states to focus on the issue, and to agree collectively on how to best deal with it, she said.

"We have seen evidence of the best practice in how China is dealing with corruption," said the envoy, adding that Africa must have been encouraged by it and that the continent is able to borrow some initiatives that China has put in place to deal with corruption.