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Corruption

The cover of International Reports 4/2019


From football to road construction – corruption has many faces. But the general rule is that the more opaque and unregulated decision-making processes are, the greater the risk of abusing power for self-enrichment. Arbitrary and unclear decisions, whether that be in dispensing justice, granting governmental contracts, or filling public offices, undermine the rule of law and swallow up additional resources. Corruption is a global phenomenon.

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Content

Corruption

  • Editorial

    From football to road construction – corruption has many faces. But the general rule is that the more opaque and unregulated decision-making processes are, the greater the risk of abusing power for self-enrichment.

    by Gerhard Wahlers

  • Corrupt Judges – Threat to the Constitutional State

    Judges are at the heart of a functioning constitutional state under the rule of law, but unfortunately this does not mean that they are immune to corruption. Recent years have seen a number of high-profile cases, demonstrating that corrupt judges are a global problem. In the fight against judicial corruption, it is essential to seek solutions at the national level, but it is still valuable to gain a global perspective of this phenomenon.

    by Franziska Rinke, Marie-Christine Fuchs, Gisela Elsner, Aishwarya Natarajan, Arne Wulff, Nils Seidel, Hartmut Rank, Mahir Muharemović, Anja Schoeller-Schletter

  • When the Lights Go Out

    The Impact of Corruption on the Electricity Supply in Sub-Saharan Africa

    More than half of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa has no access to electricity. This is partly due to endemic corruption, the cost of which hampers the expansion of energy infrastructure. In the fight against corruption, it is vital to strengthen good governance and build effective, accountable state institutions as set out in Goal 16 of Agenda 2030.

    by Anja Berretta

  • Ukraine: Transparent but Corrupt?

    Ukraine is the most transparent corrupt country in Europe. Corruption, oligarchy, and some mafia-like structures continue to be part of everyday life for people in Ukraine – in healthcare, education, business, customs, or the media landscape. Nevertheless, the reform efforts of the past few years have achieved increased transparency and social awareness of corruption. The German government and the European Union are providing substantial support to Ukraine; justice reform and combatting corruption are priorities.

    by Isabel Weininger

  • Nigeria’s Hopeless Fight Against Corruption

    Nigeria could be one of the richest countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Thanks to its oil and gas industry, billions of dollars flood into the state’s coffers every year. Yet, the country faces immense challenges. Extreme poverty, a weakening economy, a dilapidated infrastructure, terrorism, and organised crime are all part of the everyday life of the population. Corruption, which has been depriving the country of the resources it needs to develop, is largely to blame for the current state of affairs.

    by Vladimir Kreck

  • The Right of Access to Information

    An Important Step in the Fight Against Corruption in Morocco?

    Morocco is no stranger to the global problem of corruption and the associated lack of public trust in the country’s administration. Public pressure, especially during the Arab Spring, resulted in a constitutional amendment in 2011 and people being given the right of access to information. Citizens now have the right to request non-public information held by the administration, while at the same time public bodies are required to proactively provide citizens with more information. Morocco’s Access to Information Act has been in force since March 2019, however, its adoption has been postponed until 2020.

    by Steffen Krüger

Other Topics

  • New Great Games

    Regional Interests in the Afghan Peace Process

    The first official peace talks between the US and the Taliban, held in 2019, and the possible withdrawal of US troops announced by President Trump could end what has been almost 20 years of ­NATO presence in Afghanistan. For regional countries – Pakistan, India, Iran, Russia, and China – the developments offer an incentive to restructure the regional peace and security order.

    by Ellinor Zeino

  • Germany and the World: Global Trends and Future Challenges for German Politics

    In a globally networked world of ever closer connections between people, goods, capital and services, Germany’s future depends on how early it identifies new trends and challenges. This is essential in order to lay the groundwork for political decisions that will positively shape Germany’s and Europe’s framework conditions for freedom and democracy, innovation, economic competitiveness and both internal and external security. The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung has, thus, surveyed its international network of staff posted in more than 100 countries around the globe. A number of trends were identified Germany needs to be prepared to respond to.

    by Peter Fischer-Bollin

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About this series

International Reports (IR) is the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung's periodical on international politics. It offers political analyses by our experts in Berlin and from more than 100 offices across all regions of the world. Contributions by named authors do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editorial team.

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Editor

Dr. Gerhard Wahlers

ISBN

0177-7521

Benjamin Gaul

Benjamin Gaul

Head of the Department International Reports and Communication

benjamin.gaul@kas.de +49 30 26996 3584

Dr. Sören Soika

Dr

Editor-in-Chief International Reports (Ai)

soeren.soika@kas.de +49 30 26996 3388

Rana Taskoparan

Rana Taskoparan

Referentin Kommunikation und Vermarktung

rana.taskoparan@kas.de +49 30 26 996 3623

Fabian Wagener

Fabian Wagener

Desk Officer for Multimedia

fabian.wagener@kas.de +49 30-26996-3943