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This is the World Bank's blog on governance and anti-corruption. It aims at providing a space for debate and knowledge sharing on this critical field of development. | Learn more...

October 2008

Corruption without borders… is there any difference around the world?

Submitted by Alfredo on Wed, 2008-10-29 08:33

Some people still believe that corruption is a development “disease” experienced only by developing countries.  Actually, for some of us who lived for many years in low or middle income countries, we can tell that among the population there is a general perception that governments, politicians and citizens in the developed world do good and are exempt from corruption.

This perception might not prove wrong if we think in comparative or relative terms.  However, it doesn’t mean that developed countries are corruption-free.  Dani Kaufmann has blogged about this myth and specific cases, such as Hotel Baranoff in Alaska.  Recent events in the US and Europe bring again this debate into light.  For instance, earlier this week Senator Ted Stevens was convicted of receiving bribes from an oil company based in Alaska.  A few weeks ago, the OECD claimed that the UK was lacking the will to tackle corrupt firms –this issue was also raised during the 2008 Corruption Perception Index release by Transparency International. 

Governance in the public sector – a new paradigm?

Submitted by Tanya on Mon, 2008-10-27 13:40

The financial crisis has been spreading slowly but steadily from the US to Europe, and now to Asia.  It is neither clear when the markets will finally recover nor when the world can begin to get back to business as usual.  Last week in sunny Barbados, a tinge of pessimism pervaded many of the discussions taking place at CAPAM 2008 – the annual Commonwealth Association of Public Administration and Management conference, attended by career civil servants, public management professionals, and a smattering of politicians, private sector and civil society organizations.   The pessimism was about the potential effects of the crisis on the Commonwealth countries, but more broadly to the impact of the crisis on the role of the state and civil servants, and the implications on governance. 

With the plausible nationalization of private entities and a greater post-crisis emphasis on oversight and regulation, there is a temptation to declare victory over the “down-sizing government” faction. Many at the conference did not resist the temptation to do so.  Last week, even ex-Federal Reserve Chairman, Alan Greenspan admitted that he had been mistaken about the market’s ability to regulate itself.

With a greater role of the state, both the private sector and the public sector will need to assume different roles in the new and emerging governance structure.  Some predictions about what is to come:

Mo Ibrahim Foundation: promoting good governance and leadership in Africa

Submitted by Alfredo on Thu, 2008-10-09 10:37

“Without good governance, Africa will go nowhere.”  This is the vision behind the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, a $400 million African initiative that aims building a better Africa by supporting civil society and democratic African leaders in the promotion of good governance.  While some of the Foundation’s approaches are traditional among governance practitioners, others are less common, such as a monetary prize for sub-Saharan African leaders committed to good governance and democracy.

On the civil society front, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation launched this week the second round of the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, a governance assessment and ranking of 48 sub-Saharan African countries according to five general criteria: (i) safety and security, (ii) rule of law, transparency and corruption, (iii) participation and human rights, (iv) sustainable economic opportunity, and (v) human development.  As other governance indicators, the Ibrahim Index’s goal is to assist citizens in holding their governments accountable and to highlight areas requiring a better performance.

Unfettered Free Market, Financial Crisis and Political Backlash: How about a Market-Friendly Approach Instead?

Submitted by Kaufmann on Tue, 2008-10-07 08:36

The end of the 1980s brought about the demise of the Soviet Union and its then satellites.  With the failure of socialist planning, gloating took place among some Western circles who declared absolute victory for free market capitalism. 

Notebooks for school children in Burundi: Improving performance in the education sector

Submitted by Susana on Fri, 2008-10-03 07:00

During my recent mission to Bujumbura, Burundi, I witnessed the rapid results initiative team in action.  Earlier this March, a group of government officials participated in a training session on the use of the Rapid Results Approach to promote good governance and anti-corruption.  During this training, a group of officials from the Ministry of Education decided that this method could help them to improve efficiency in their sector.