The index, which ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption according to experts and businesspeople, uses a scale of 0 to 100, where 0 is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean. More than two-thirds of countries score below 50 on this year’s CPI, with an average score of just 43.
It reveals that the continued failure of most countries to significantly control corruption is contributing to a crisis in democracy around the world. While there are exceptions, the data shows that despite some progress, most countries are failing to make serious inroads against corruption.
Corruption is much more likely to flourish where democratic foundations are weak and, as we have seen in many countries, where undemocratic and populist politicians can use it to their advantage.
Since its inception in 1995, the Corruption Perceptions Index, Transparency International’s flagship research product, has become the leading global indicator of public sector corruption. The index offers an annual snapshot of the relative degree of corruption by ranking countries and territories from all over the globe. In 2012, Transparency International revised the methodology used to construct the index to allow for comparison of scores from one year to the next. The 2018 CPI draws on 13 surveys and expert assessments to measure public sector corruption in 180 countries and territories, giving each a score from zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).
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A damning new report from the Financial Action Task Force confirms what investigative journalists, anti-corruption activists and whistleblowers have been saying about the United Arab Emirates for years. We take a look at the role of the UAE, and in particular Dubai, in some of the biggest corruption scandals of recent years.
World Press Freedom Day is an important opportunity to highlight the critical role of investigative journalists in exposing corruption and the increasingly dangerous environment in which they work.
Governments are struggling with a scarcity of medical supplies during the coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic, and rushed procurement practices that result in lower quality goods, price gouging, undue influence and limited access to information, among other corruption risks.
The coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic forced governments to respond to an unexpected health crisis with drastic and immediate measures – and little thought to corruption risks.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, transparent public procurement is critical to saving lives and livelihoods.
It has been four years since the Panama Papers blew the lid on corporate secrecy. The COVID-19 pandemic emphasises the urgent need to put an end to the abuse of anonymous companies.
Recent recommendations offer solutions that can be applied both in the region and around the world.
