Somalia ranked world's most corrupt country - (Transparency International '08 report)

[Caano Geel]

Somalia ranked world's most corrupt country iht article

 

 

Somalia remains rooted to the bottom of a global corruption index that also features Iraq and Afghanistan among the world's most corrupt countries, an international watchdog's annual report said Tuesday.

 

Rich European countries such as Britain and Italy also have slipped, Transparency International's annual Corruption Perceptions Index said. The report said Denmark, Sweden and New Zealand share the honor of being the world's least corrupt countries.

 

There was little change at the bottom from last year — with Somalia closely followed, as in 2007, by Myanmar, Iraq and Haiti. Just ahead of them was Afghanistan, which slipped to 176th place from 172nd.

 

Berlin-based Transparency said the index "highlights the fatal link between poverty, failed institutions and graft." The ranking measures perceived levels of public sector corruption in 180 countries and draws on surveys of businesses and experts.

 

"In the poorest countries, corruption levels can mean the difference between life and death, when money for hospitals or clean water is in play," Transparency chairwoman Huguette Labelle said in a statement, describing the combination of corruption and poverty as "an ongoing humanitarian disaster."

 

Somalia has lacked an effective central government since 1991, leaving the country in the grip of violence and anarchy.

 

There were some bright spots in the new report — the report showed African powerhouse Nigeria improving to 121st place from 147th last year, reflecting increasingly positive perceptions of the country's new government.

 

Georgia rose to 67th place from 79th, showing that the government's "early reform efforts were highly effective in earning public confidence and improving the country's international image," the report said. But it added that, while petty corruption is generally agreed to have declined, grand corruption is a "persistent concern."

 

Labelle stressed that "even in more privileged countries, with enforcement disturbingly uneven, a tougher approach to tackling corruption is needed."

 

The report pointed to worsening performances by Britain, which slipped to 16th from 12th, and Italy, down to 55th from 41st.

 

It said Britain's perceived anti-corruption credentials suffered from a decision by its anti-fraud agency to halt an inquiry into whether one of the world's largest arms dealers offered bribes in exchange for lucrative contracts in Saudi Arabia; while fraud and corruption cases in the public health system weighed on Italy.

 

Another decliner in the European Union was Bulgaria — described as "still wary of tackling political corruption" — which slipped to 72nd from 64th. Finland, tied for first place last year, slid to fifth because of "a lack of transparency in election campaign finance."

 

The U.S. was in 18th place, compared with 20th last year. The report noted that it remains among the lowest-ranked leading industrial countries.

 

"Contributing factors may include a widespread sense that political finance is in need of reform, with lobbyists and special interest groups perceived to have an unfair hold on political decision-making," the report said.

 

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The detailed Transparency International '08 report can be found here

[nuune]

It doesn't make sense at all, lately, Somalia is everything and at the bottom of everything, is there anything we are good at!!

 

waa anaa fiican adaa xun, yaa ka akhrisanaayo waxaas.

[Johnny B]

I've heard about this on the Radio yesterday on my way home.

 

Somebody tell me Haiti could fit better next to Somalia instead of Kenya.

[Jacaylbaro]

I think this can fit here too:

 

Transparency International released its now-famous Corruption Perceptions Index, which concluded this year Somalia as the most corrupt country in the world. Hooray for us! But wait a minute. What? Somalia and corruption? Are these people insane? How do they define corruption? The last time I checked, in order for corruption to exist, a semblance of law and order has to exist in the environment in which the corruption prevails. I don’t know what these people were thinking but surely Somalia does NOT qualify for this award. I mean, I don’t intend to insinuate that Somalia is not corrupt, but when one thinks about corruption in the sense of political and economical manifestation, Somalia would have to be the last place on the planet to qualify for corrupt state. Somalia is a failed State. Only the gun rules.

 

There is no government, courts, or police. It’s an extreme anarchy - Mad Max all-you-can-eat situation. Folks living in Mogadisho do not worry about who they will have to bribe to get a telephone line hooked. They worry whether they will get robbed (or shot more likely) on their way to the market or school (which is a very expensive private school at that). Unless of course Transparency International is referring to Somaliland, in which case an argument for corruption can be made (please don’t give me grieve on whether Somaliland is a country or not). Now I think about it, how did TI get their data in the first place? Did they go on the streets and asked, “how often do you pay bribe to get things done?” Furthermore, if Somalia is so corrupt, who’s demanding the corruption? The Warlord Thugs? I don’t know about TI’s philosophy, but I know for a fact that warlords do not demand bribe - they take whatever they want.

 

More suspiciously, at least to my cynical eyes, is the conspicuous absence of my dear Kenya from the top ten list. For the past 7 years, Kenya has had the pleasure of being named as the top corrupt country in the world - and for a very good reason. But I’m not sure all that has changed overnight. As someone who has resided in both Somalia and Kenya, I know when it comes to corruption, Kenya is the grandaddy of all corruptness. You can’t leave your house without “bribe money” in Kenya, whereas Somalia you only get jacked if you have something of a value. Maybe I’m being overtly cynical about Kenya’s progress against corruption but I find it interesting that such an awfully corrupt country can jump from 30 spots within the span of two years.

[Caano Geel]

^ don't forget to reference the good man/woman's writing dude, -- JB's comment comes from here

[ilax]

^^^^ Morale coruption is also the sickness of Somalis.