AFROLEAKS: Understanding Africa’s Scale of Corruption – A Review of the Anti-Corruption Summit London 2016 [Part I]
By Femi Senu | @Femi_Senu | Monday 6 June 2016 | 00:00 GMT
Corruption levels vary from country to country. Any approach that aims to eliminate or mitigate corruption must not only be comprehensive, but include the knowledge of honest grassroots non-governmental organisations (NGOs) locally, nationally, and internationally. The fight against corruption requires an integrated approach that considers the expertise of such groups. To provide evidence for why such an inclusion is necessary, I divide this review into a six-part series of articles that will have three main sections of focus.
In the first section and over the first two articles (Part I and II), I will review the Anti-Corruption Summit held on Thursday 12 May 2016 in London with a focus to provide reasons why an inclusive approach in combatting corruption is important. In the second section host to Part III of this review, I explore the analysis provided by The Economist (2015) to help support the case of inclusivity, to understand the level of African corruption and to examine why corruption is difficult to measure. Finally, in the last section and remaining three articles of this six-part series (Part IV, V and VI), I analyse a few corruption cases presented at the summit to strengthen the benefits of inclusivity.
The overall focus and aim of this article is to contribute to current anti-corruption initiatives and endorse the benefits of inclusivity within anti-corruption strategies and legislation. I argue that it is difficult to measure corruption, and that anti-corruption discourses require an inclusive approach.
Plainly and simply it is difficult to measure corruption. Thus, it leaves no doubt that if anti-corruption cooperation, initiatives and legislation is to be effective then there is a strong need for comprehensive and carefully considered approaches.
While declining incidences of corruption in some countries, for example, may suggest that a state has been able to mitigate the causes of corruption, it may also indicate an unwillingness to declare or expose it. It might be the case that some countries aid, abet and even finance corruption at institutional and international level or it is so covertly practiced it is difficult to observe by ordinary people.
Yet today, anti-corruption drives, legislation and strategies do not differentiate between the powerful and powerless in society. While corruption affects all in society (both the powerful and powerless), it is important that control measures are implemented to monitor both aspects of corruption, not merely a one size fits all approach. This will help reduce corruption not only at the top of modern society, but the bottom also. Indisputably, corruption is a real challenge faced by all in contemporary society.
Even those who have been allegedly caught up in corruption scandals, accused of it or otherwise, have ostensibly been involved in the fight against it. In this sense, the fight against corruption will always fall flat without some sort of guarantee that all those involved in the fight against corruption have the credibility and legitimacy to do so.
During May 2016, an article was published on the UK government’s website titled ‘Anti-corruption summit aims to secure global commitment against corruption’ (Prime Minister’s Office, 2016). This summit was the result of the initiative taken by the British Prime Minister David Cameron to secure new global cooperation to expose, punish and eliminate corruption in every aspect of life. This was an international anti-corruption summit, the first of its kind, bringing to the table leaders from Afghanistan, President Ghani; Colombia, President Santos; Nigeria, President Buhari; and Norway, Prime Minister Solberg.
Among many who attended were representatives from other countries and the summit was intended to bring together a unique coalition of governments, businesses, civil society, law enforcement, sports committees and international organisations. Amongst the organisations invited included the Confederation of British Industry, the International Bar Association, the Institute of Directors and Transparency International.
Yet, the question lingered: who would commit to taking practical steps to tackle corruption and make it a genuine global priority? The focus of the summit was to ensure a declaration against corruption was signed that would commit leaders to work cooperatively to deal with corruption. It is no doubt that most leaders presented at the summit understood that corruption undermined their efforts to end poverty, promote prosperity, and defeat terrorism and extremism.
A key theme that ran through the summit was the pledge to expose corruption and punish those who carried it out, facilitated corruption, or were a part of it. Varying non-governmental organisations also highlighted a number of corruption cases and their impacts. Discussions also included the effects of corruption on modern communities.
In consequence, the reason for cooperation that the summit embodied was to ensure that corruption was removed from government institutions, businesses and communities. Prime Minister David Cameron said:
“Corruption is an enemy of progress and the root of so many of the world’s problems. It destroys jobs and holds back economic growth, traps the poorest in desperate poverty, and undermines our security by pushing people towards extremist groups…The battle against corruption will not be won overnight. It will take time, courage and determination to deliver the reforms that are necessary…We cannot hope to solve the major global challenges we face without tackling the exploitation, fraud and dishonesty at their heart. For too long there has been a taboo about tackling this issue head on. This summit will change that. Together, we will push the fight against corruption to the top of the international agenda where it belongs.”
Five panel sessions were held in the summit. Amongst the panellists included the World Bank President, Jim Yong Kim; Transparency International Global Chair, José Ugaz; leading author, Sarah Chayes; and IMF Managing Director, Christine Lagarde. The panels endeavoured to discuss how the international community could work cooperatively with the aim to:
“Lift the lid on practices that allow the corrupt to act with impunity, ensure justice for those affected, reduce the impact of corruption on global security, and harness new technology, innovation and the energy of the next generation to drive out corruption wherever it exists.” (Prime Minister’s Office, 2016).
Anti-corruption actions, initiatives and strategies need to be completely convincing, not just some impromptu ad hoc judgement. After all, the young today are the leaders of tomorrow. Encouraging and willingly involving such individuals across all levels of anti-corruption initiatives is vital in the fight against corruption. A review of the anti-corruption summit held in London provides a medium for which it is possible to examine and understand the reasons why it is necessary to do so…
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Have you enjoyed reading so far? Fantastic! You can continue reading my review of the Anti-Corruption Summit London 2016 in next week’s continuation. I’m looking forward to it as much as you are!
I value the opinions of my readers dearly so please feel free to provide me with any constructive feedback you have concerning this article or any others I have written. Your comments and thoughts are always appreciated. Thank you!
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References
Prime Minister’s Office. (2016). ‘Anti-corruption summit aims to secure global commitment against corruption’, GOV.UK, 8 May, https://www.gov.uk/government/news/anti-corruption-summit-aims-to-secure-global-commitment-against-corruption (accessed 09/05/2016)
The Economist. (2015). ‘The scale of corruption in Africa’, The Economist, 3 December, http://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21679473-gloomy-news-transparency-international-scale-corruption-africa (accessed 10/05/2016)
The Nigerian Association of Criminology, Terrorism and Political Violence Studies 