Transparency International has published their 2005 Corruption Perception Index. The report claims that corruption remains rampant in 70 countries and that most of the world’s least developed nations bear the double burden of poverty and corruption.
“Corruption is a major cause of poverty as well as a barrier to overcoming it,” said Transparency International Chairman Peter Eigen. “The two scourges feed off each other, locking their populations in a cycle of misery. Corruption must be vigorously addressed if aid is to make a real difference in freeing people from poverty.” Moreover, extensive research shows that foreign investment is lower in countries perceived to be corrupt, which further thwarts their chance to prosper.
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