Antwerp Cuts Ties with Deputy’s Dance NGO Amid Financial Probe

The current agreement is terminated with immediate effect and the recognition of the non-profit association as a professional socio-educational animation partner is withdrawn. This is the decision taken by the college of mayors and aldermen on Monday, April 26. It also decided to constitute itself as a civil party in the context of the judicial investigation. These decisions were made after the Antwerp dance NGO Let’s Go Urban of deputy Sihame El Kaouakibi is suspected of financial irregularities.

The elected official reacted to these decisions. "I lost the flame and I accept the decisions that will be made," she said. She regrets not having had "a fair chance" to defend herself. "Our justified request for postponement was rejected, as was our request to consult the report and the documents to which responses were requested from me," she stressed. "How do you answer questions you don’t see? I was denied access to the accounts and even to the external hard drives. This makes cooperation to solve the problems impossible and senseless," wonders the social entrepreneur.

Sihame El Kaouakibi also regrets that the "Let’s Go Urban" adventure, "a movement where different generations of Antwerp youth have found support," is coming to an end. "I wanted so much to keep the light on, so that it could continue to shine on the young Antwerpians who are starting their future here every day, who have found a home here, who have found their passion here," she says. "For a few months, the city has kept its finger on the switch. Today, it turns it on and turns the light off for good. Tired, powerless and sad, I’m slamming the door," adds the Flemish deputy, disheartened.