PROMOTING TRANSPARENCY

AND ACCOUNTABILITY:

USAID�S ANTI-CORRUPTION EXPERIENCE

Center for Democracy and GovernanceBureau for Global Programs, Field Support, and Research

U.S. Agency for International DevelopmentWashington, DC 20523-3100

January 2000

TO ORDER THIS DOCUMENT FROM THE DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCE CLEARING-HOUSE:

· Please reference the document title (Promoting Transparency and Accountability: USAID�sAnti-corruption Experience) and document identification number (PN-ACF-740).

· USAID employees, USAID contractors overseas, and USAID sponsored organizationsoverseas may order documents at no charge.

· Universities, research centers, government offices, and other institutions located in developingcountries may order up to five titles at no charge.

· All other institutions and individuals may purchase documents. Do not send payment. Whenapplicable, reproduction and postage costs will be billed.

Fax orders: (703) 351-4039 Attn: USAID Development Experience Clearinghouse (DEC)E-mail orders: docorder@dec.cdie.org

G/DG PublicationsThe Center for Democracy and Governance reserves the right to review and edit all publications forcontent and format and all are subject to a broad USAID review process. They are intended in part toindicate best practices, lessons learned, and guidelines for practitioner consideration. They also includepublications that are intended to stimulate debate and discussion. This publication reports on Agencyanti-corruption activities from the 1960s to the present.

MELISSA ROSSER WAS THE PRINCIPAL RESEARCHER ON AND PRIMARY AUTHOR

OF THIS BOOKLET. MELISSA IS A DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE RESEARCH

ANALYST WITH THE ACADEMY FOR EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT�S RESEARCH

AND REFERENCE SERVICES PROJECT AT USAID. SHE EARNED A MASTER�S

DEGREE IN COMPARATIVE POLITICS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND,WHERE SHE IS CURRENTLY WORKING TOWARD HER DOCTORATE IN THE DEPART-

MENT OF GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS.

USA

ID A

ND A

NT

I-CO

RR

UP

TIO

N

Introduction................................................................. 1

Early USAID Experience in Fighting Corruption ......... 3

USAID�s Fight Against Corruption:A Two-track Response .............................................. 5

Changing the Environment in which Public andPrivate Sectors Interact ............................................... 5

Legal Reform ......................................................... 6Privatization and Regulatory Reform ..................... 7Administrative Reform ........................................... 8Judicial Reform...................................................... 9

Changing Attitudes..................................................... 11

Advocacy Organizations...................................... 11Public-Private Partnerships ................................. 12Media ................................................................... 14

USAID Cooperation with Other Donors andInternational Organizations ...................................... 16

In Conclusion ........................................................... 21

TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY:USAID�S ANTI-CORRUPTION EXPERIENCE

CONTENTS

USA

ID A

ND A

NT

I-CO

RR

UP

TIO

NLong a taboo subject in the international arena, corruption hasincreasingly come to be recognized as a significant obstacle toeconomic and democratic development. Governments, busi-nesses, civil society organizations, and citizens themselvesare more and more willing to acknowledge corruption as adevelopment issue, and actors at the local, national, andinternational levels are organizing to confront it.

The global anti-corruption movement owes much of itsimpetus to the end of the Cold War. Donor governments areable to pay greater attention in their budget allocation deci-sions to directing resources to governments and organizationsthat will employ their contributions most effectively. At the sametime, private sector investment has become an increasinglyimportant factor in spurring development, and countries withhigh levels of corruption have found themselves less able toattract investment in a competitive global market. The end ofthe Cold War has also resulted in a proliferation of emergingdemocracies. Citizens in these countries have begun to usetheir votes and their voices to register their antipathy towardcorruption and to force their governments toward change.

USAID has long been a leader in the battle againstcorruption, by promoting transparency and accountability,establishing checks and balances, and strengthening the ruleof law. With corruption�s heightened visibility, USAID is nowtackling the issue more directly. An important difference fromthe past is that we are able to involve non-governmental actors,including civil society, in our efforts. We are convinced that civilsociety can have a significant effect on a government�s will toenact and sustain anti-corruption reforms.

USAID has focused efforts on reducing public corrup-tion because of its destabilizing effects on political stability andeconomic growth. Public corruption undermines the legitimacyof governments by distorting decision-making processes,weakening institutional capacity and eroding public confidence.It attenuates economic development by inflating the cost ofdoing business, short-circuiting competition, and divertingbudgetary resources away from the provision of public goodsand services.

This report provides a snapshot of what USAID hasdone over the years, and what it is doing now, to combat

1

USA

ID A

ND A

NT

I-CO

RR

UP

TIO

N

corruption. We would like to emphasize that our role in anysuccesses we claim has been that of a support player. It is theleadership, commitment, and dedication of our host countrycolleagues in the government and outside of the governmentthat have transformed our support into success.

2

USA

ID A

ND A

NT

I-CO

RR

UP

TIO

N

Early USAID Experience in Fighting Corruption

Long before fighting corruption was identified as a legitimateand important goal of development programming in and ofitself, USAID was a pioneer in designing and supporting pro-grams to strengthen public sector integrity. We have workedwith host country governments to introduce improved methodsof financial management; to streamline licensing, registration,and other procedures (and thus reduce the opportunities forcorruption); to introduce and strengthen audit and regulatoryagencies; and to improve the administration of justice, to namejust a few of our interventions. Because these programs weregenerally justified on the basis of improved government effec-tiveness or efficiency, it is difficult to measure their impact withregard to corruption. Nevertheless, they are worth examining,both because they provide a foundation on which to build andbecause they provide lessons that can be applied today.

USAID�s early experience in what is now called anti-corruption programming concentrated on government reform.Beginning in the late 1960s, several USAID missions sup-ported long-term projects to improve public sector manage-ment and increase the capacity of government ministries tocurtail the misuse of public funds. For example, in Bolivia andPeru, USAID sponsored the training of professional auditorsand the improvement of public accounting systems. In Liberia,USAID provided technical assistance to the government tocurb patronage in the civil service, reduce the president�sdiscretionary powers over public funds, and eliminate thecommon practice of extra-budgetary expenditures. In the late1970s and early 1980s, the Bureau for Africa supported similaractivities across the entire Sahel region.

USAID gained several lessons from the experience:political will is critical to success; the achievements of reformprograms are vulnerable to regime changes; civil societyengagement is an important factor in sustaining reforms; and,enforcement alone is not an adequate anti-corruption strategy.

3

USA

ID A

ND A

NT

I-CO

RR

UP

TIO

N

USAID�s first program explicitly designed to fight corrup-tion, the Regional Financial Management Improvement (RFMI)Project, was launched in 1989. It incorporated the lesson thatUSAID anti-corruption programs must address several levelsto have any sustainable impact. Over its ten-year history ofworking with Latin American countries, the RFMI Project hasfacilitated the successful detection and prosecution of corruptpractices in government by strengthening accountability andaudit practices. The computerization elements of the programhave proven particularly useful. They have enabled govern-ments to better identify and take action against �ghost� employ-ees and vendors; to identify and take action against a range ofprocurement irregularities; and, to �follow the money� in in-stances of stolen or misspent funds.

Phase II of the RFMI Project began in 1992. Renamed�The Americas� Accountability and Anti-corruption Project� toreflect its increased emphasis on fighting corruption, it hasbeen the source of many innovations in combating publiccorruption. It was, for instance, one of the first anti-corruptionactivities to engage civil society organizations in awakeningpublic awareness on the costs of corruption. Its Internetwebsite initiative and the extremely effective donor coordinationgroup set up under the project have been replicated in anti-corruption programs elsewhere in the world.

Over the past several years, USAID has substantiallyincreased its anti-corruption programming. In 1994, anti-corruption became a discrete objective for USAID in the gover-nance area. At the field level, anti-corruption measures havebecome increasingly integrated into many pre-existing agencyactivities, such as disaster assistance, environment, economicgrowth, and democracy. Programs exclusively targeted towardreducing corruption are on the rise as well. While we continueto work with governments, we have developed a specialexpertise in working with civil society groups that complementsthe anti-corruption efforts of the World Bank and other donorsthat work primarily with governments.

4

USA

ID A

ND A

NT

I-CO

RR

UP

TIO

N

USAID�S FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION:A TWO-TRACK RESPONSE

Based on its experience, USAID has developed a two-trackresponse to the problem of corruption: (1) change the environ-ment in which the public and private sectors interact and (2)mobilize public support for change. Programs designed tochange the environment in which the public and private sectorsinteract have the twin goals of minimizing opportunities forcorruption and changing the incentive structures that oftenencourage corrupt behavior. This builds on our broad andextensive experience with government reform and institutionbuilding. Mobilizing public support for change, on the otherhand, involves working with civil society and the private sectorto raise awareness about the problems that corruption posesto development and society in general, as well as promotingactive engagement by all sectors of the public in monitoringgovernment activities and advocating changes in attitudes andpractices.

Changing the Environment in whichPublic and Private Sectors Interact

Corruption is likely to flourish where imbalances exist in therelative strength of public and private actors, i.e., public offi-cials and citizens, or bureaucrats and investors. This imbal-ance occurs where public officials have wide authority, littleaccountability, and a distorted incentives framework. USAID�sresponses to corruption seek to redress this imbalance by

· Supporting legal and regulatory reform to reducegovernment�s involvement in areas better handled by theprivate sector

· Streamlining government procedures to reduce the oppor-tunities for corruption

5

USA

ID A

ND A

NT

I-CO

RR

UP

TIO

N

· Improving accountability mechanisms

· Introducing incentives that will encourage officials to act inthe public interest

Legal ReformLaws and regulations set the rules of the game for public/private interaction. Changing the rules of the game can changethe costs and benefits associated with corrupt practices.USAID has supported numerous countries around the world intheir efforts to create a consistent and transparent legal andregulatory environment.

In South Africa, for example, USAID funded extensivework on ethics legislation to set the standards of conduct forgovernment employees and to require the transparent report-ing of elected officials� assets. In Georgia, under a conflict ofinterest law prepared with USAID assistance, all senior- andmid-level government officials (3,000 total) are required to fileannual financial disclosure reports that are available for publicscrutiny.

USAID has worked with the Russian judiciary on avariety of programs aimed at improving the quality of judicialadministration and training. Three successful seminars havebeen hosted on judicial ethics, selection, and discipline, and ahandbook on judicial ethics is being prepared. In recent years,the Supreme Qualifying Collegium, one of USAID�s primarycounterparts on the project, has upheld the dismissal fromjudicial office of approximately 100 judges per year, some forsuch offenses as bribe-taking, falsification of documents, andother corrupt acts.

Another example of legal reform combating corruptioncan be found in the Philippines, where USAID helped to imple-ment progressive legal reform that gives an explicit role tocitizens� groups and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)in local government. Under this law, private citizens are permit-ted to sit on special bodies to administer procurement, bidding,and awards of local contracts.

6

USA

ID A

ND A

NT

I-CO

RR

UP

TIO

NPrivatization and Regulatory ReformUSAID has focused substantial efforts on promotingprivatization. Reducing the role of government in economicactivity and instituting routine and transparent measures forprivatization have direct impacts on corruption by reducingopportunities for bribe-seeking and cronyism. In one effort,USAID provided support for a comprehensive analysis of theEgyptian cotton industry, reviewing production, ginning, andmarketing activities with a view toward privatization. Recom-mendations made as a result of the analysis helped to informlegislation that liberalized elements of the cotton industry. Thelegislation led to the privatization of 35 percent of the Egyptiancotton ginning capacity.

While much attention has been recently focused onprivatization-related corruption, particularly in Russia and otherformer Soviet republics, the opportunities for rent-seekingbehavior and financial misuse are always greater in systemswhere boundaries between public and private sectors remainunclear. As a complement to its privatization activities, USAIDhas actively worked with host country counterparts to establishand strengthen effective regulatory institutions. USAID has, forexample, been instrumental in the establishment of indepen-

Energy Regulatory Agencies

USAID�s Bureau for Europe and Eurasia has supported the develop-ment of 14 energy regulatory agencies since the mid-1990s. Withreformers in our host countries, we seek to promote the autonomy ofthese organizations in setting tariffs, establishing licensing procedures,and following market rules. Interlaced with these objectives are theprinciples of increasing transparency and accountability and the flowof information to the public. Frequently, the new regulatory agenciesare under attack from interest groups and politicians who want toprotect old practices that allow portions of the large resource flows tobe diverted. Fending off such attacks is critical to a country�s anti-corruption efforts. In addition to its technical support, USAID hasfacilitated a regional network of energy regulatory agencies to shareexperiences and lend each other support. Relationships are also beingbuilt with U.S. federal and state utility regulatory agencies.

7

USA

ID A

ND A

NT

I-CO

RR

UP

TIO

N

dent energy regulatory commissions in both Armenia andGeorgia. We are currently assisting these commissions asthey undertake the difficult task of bringing transparency to theirrespective energy sectors during the development and imple-mentation of new tariff structures and market rules. [See boxon previous page.] In the West Bank and Gaza, we haveprovided technical assistance and training to improve the banksupervision capabilities of the Palestinian Monetary Authority(PMA). The PMA has made considerable progress towardbecoming a proper regulatory institution, capable of undertak-ing on-site and off-site inspections in accordance with BasleConvention standards.

Often the problem with regulations is that they are toocumbersome. Measures that cut red tape, decrease or setstandards for the processing time required for businesses, andreduce the number of opportunities for public officials to solicitbribes by creating �one-stop shopping� windows can have aconsiderable impact on corruption. In Africa, USAID, in con-junction with the World Bank, has supported the Investor RoadMap project. Some participating countries, Tanzania for in-stance, have successfully reduced the number of clearancesneeded to issue work permits and the average number ofmonths required to commence business operations. A similar�one-stop� project has been undertaken in Ukraine, where newlicensing procedures eliminate numerous opportunities forpetty corruption to thrive. With USAID assistance in Georgia,the government passed the Law on the Declaration of PrivateOwnership of Enterprise Land, which is believed to be one ofthe most progressive enterprise land privatization laws in theregion. This law rationalizes sales procedures and eliminatesmany of the burdensome processes that have fostered corrup-tion and severely impeded land privatization.

Administrative ReformFor decades, USAID has supported institutional reforms thatenhance the administrative capacity of government to accountfor public funds. Modern computerized financial managementsystems, where properly employed, improve accountability byenhancing transparency and oversight of government opera-tions. As described earlier, USAID and participating countries in

8

USA

ID A

ND A

NT

I-CO

RR

UP

TIO

NLatin America pioneered this kind of programming on a grandscale.

Currently, three USAID missions in Latin America aresupporting improved financial management systems, while sixmissions are offering technical assistance to offices of thecontroller general, including explicit training on how to detectand investigate fraud. USAID/Honduras has developed aspecial program to bolster the auditing capabilities of the officeof the controller general in the aftermath of Hurricane Mitchwhen an unusually large amount of funds are flowing into thecountry for reconstruction projects. In addition, USAID/Mada-gascar and USAID/Tanzania have worked with their hostcountry governments to strengthen the audit capacity of theMalagasy General Accounting Office and the Tanzanian Inspec-tor General�s Office, respectively. USAID/Benin has providedtechnical and institutional support to the Supreme Audit Institu-tions, both at the Chamber of Accounts of the Supreme Courtand the Inspector General Office of the Ministry of Finance. Asa result of their increased capabilities, the Supreme AuditInstitutions have started to audit electoral campaign expensesand developed a manual for transparent financial and procure-ment operations.

USAID has supported administrative reform in thecountries of the former Soviet Union as well. In Armenia, theWorld Bank and USAID have supported reforms in the internalfinancial control environment in Armenia�s largest utility, result-ing in the separation (checking and balancing) of previouslyintegrated metering, billing, and payment functions and in theintroduction of a system that will reduce meter tampering.Finally, USAID has done much to improve contracting proce-dures in countries with which it works. In Jordan, for instance,we have provided training related to contracting in the watersector. In addition to reducing opportunities for mis-directedresources, improvements in the contracting process will ulti-mately contribute to the more efficient use of scarce waterresources.

Judicial ReformJudicial reform is critical for creating a predictable and consis-tent environment for investment. USAID works with host

9

USA

ID A

ND A

NT

I-CO

RR

UP

TIO

N

country governments to build transparent and independentadjudication systems, ensure the enforceability of contracts,and enhance the protection of property rights. Targeted effortsof judicial reform have the longest history in our Latin Americanprograms. In Guatemala, we have helped regulate the courtssystem, increasing their efficiency and reducing individuals�discretion by creating a clerk of courts office to reform caseintake and to monitor the courts� procedures. For the first time,the court system has an inventory of its caseload, cutting down�lost� cases from 1,061 per year to 5. Litigants can no longerselect a judge and legal time limits for hearing a case areautomatically respected. Currently, USAID is supporting ambi-tious reforms in 12 Latin American countries to improve theskills, procedures, and infrastructure of the courts. USAID fieldmissions in Paraguay, Ecuador, and Colombia are all workingwith their respective host country governments to shift from aclosed, inquisitive trial system to a more open, accusatorysystem. These reforms are revolutionary in the Latin Americancontext�creating a fairer, more efficient and independentjustice system with reduced opportunities for corruption andbetter protection of rights.

We have more recent experience in the former com-munist countries of Europe and Central Asia. In Georgia, forinstance, USAID funding helped the Council of Justice todevelop and implement a mandatory judicial examinationprogram. The government had been paying the judges a salaryof less than $20 a month. Judges who passed the exam and arigorous vetting process were given a ten-fold salary increaseby the parliament. A Constitutional Court decision in favor of ajudge who had failed the exam led to amendments to the Lawon the Courts, which enabled the judiciary to replace most ofthe unqualified Soviet-era judges with 176 newly certifiedjudges in May 1999. Introducing a merit-based selectionprocess and paying judges a fair salary are important steps increating a competent, independent, and honest judiciary.

USAID judicial reform programs have had equallypromising results elsewhere in the world. In Mongolia, USAIDhas worked with the parliament to complete the first codifica-tion and publication of Mongolia�s laws and courtroom proce-dures. For the first time in their history, Mongolian judges and

10

USA

ID A

ND A

NT

I-CO

RR

UP

TIO

Nlawyers, as well as the average citizen, will have a set of publicreference materials to ensure transparency and consistency inlegal procedures. Judges will no longer be the sole arbiters ofthe legal code and courtroom procedure. USAID/Sri Lanka hassupported the computerization of the court record system. As aresult of this seemingly unremarkable reform, citizens can nowdirectly access their own court records, eliminating a hereto-fore common occasion for bribe-seeking.

Changing Attitudes

USAID is committed to engaging civil society in the fightagainst corruption. Our programs seek to raise awarenessabout the costs of corruption, decrease tolerance for corruptbehavior, and change the expected norms of ethical behavior.We believe that a successful, long-term sustainable strategy tobreak the cycle of systemic corruption must include mobilizingpressure from a broad base of society. By providing trainingand other forms of support, USAID encourages the growth ofactive, public policy-oriented civil society groups that willmonitor governmental integrity, bring corruption issues onto thepublic agenda, and actively promote the twin concepts oftransparency and accountability.

Advocacy OrganizationsUSAID�s work with advocacy organizations has shown impres-sive results. In Armenia, for example, a citizen-led groupsupported by the USAID-funded Environmental Public Advo-cacy Center and several other NGOs used adverse publicity,legal action, press releases, and petitions to halt a formersenior municipal administrator�s attempt to illegally transferprotected land to high-ranking government officials. Environ-mental NGOs in Russia and Ukraine have successfullystopped government-supported projects that would havedisrupted important watersheds or constructed nuclear reac-tors without public discussion. Some of these decisions havebeen upheld by higher courts, strengthening a new legalconcept that NGOs can challenge governments and emergevictorious. In Guinea Bissau, USAID has supported local NGOsin promoting the interests of their members through dialogue

11

USA

ID A

ND A

NT

I-CO

RR

UP

TIO

N

with the government and other associations. These groupshave been responsible for staging a televised debate on ex-change rate policy and much progress has been made toestablish sustainable local capacity to analyze, draft, andpromote regulatory changes that will prevent corruption andimprove the investment and business climate.

The Bureau for Africa�s regional African Trade andInvestment Program supported the Confederation ofMozambique�s Business Associations in its efforts to reducered tape and to provide an effective forum for the private sectorto examine policy issues. Over the past year, this activity hasresulted in the passage of a new industrial law and revisions inthe industrial and commercial licensing regulations that greatlysimplified the registration process; the abolition of import andexport controls; and the transfer to a single agency of allresponsibility for import and export controls. This final accom-plishment will reduce bureaucratic delays caused by bribe-seeking. The confederation has also worked to prominentlydisplay the new commercial and industrial licensing require-ments to promote transparency and awareness of the rules forboth government and business.

USAID/El Salvador supports a coalition of key individu-als from the public and private sectors committed to greatertransparency. This group attended the 8th Anti-corruptionConference in Lima, Peru, and has since called for strongerpublic ethics and integrity. They advocated for the 1998 ratifica-tion of the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption andhold seminars on transparency in public procurement andpublic financial disclosure. USAID/Paraguay supports an NGOthat analyzes budgets of government ministries to examine,among other things, how transfers are made to the departmentlevels and if the use of funds is logical and consistent. Suc-cessfully demanding access to budget information representsa significant victory for transparency in government.

Public-Private PartnershipsSince corruption often occurs at the interface between publicand private actors, USAID has found that a coalition of institu-tions from the public and private sectors can more effectivelytackle it and ensure sustainability.

12

USA

ID A

ND A

NT

I-CO

RR

UP

TIO

NA Bulgarian NGO, known as Coalition 2000, has devel-

oped an anti-corruption action plan called �Clean Future� toreduce the level of public tolerance for corruption. The coreelement of the plan is an extensive public awareness cam-paign designed to reduce the level of public tolerance forcorruption. The government of Bulgaria officially endorsed theaction plan at a public policy forum held in November 1998.Signaling support from the highest levels of government, theprime minister opened the meeting, attended by over 150representatives of the NGO community, the media, and gov-ernment, with a letter from the president of Bulgaria. Moreover,the policy forum will be an annual event of the coalition review-ing the progress achieved and providing guidelines for futureactivities. In its first few months of implementation, the plan hasmade a measurable impact on cutting corruption.

USAID/Nicaragua supported a public awarenesscampaign by a local NGO. The campaign explained to ordinarycitizens the linkages between recent administrative and finan-cial reforms undertaken by the government, and increasedtransparency and effective public services. It not only improvedthe government�s image, but it also increased the public�sunderstanding of the costs of corruption in their daily lives.

USAID/Ukraine has supported successful public-privatepartnerships at the local level. A partnership in the oblast of Lvivhas effected increased levels of media coverage of the corrup-tion issue, installed hotlines to collect public grievances aboutcorrupt officials, successfully promoted the adoption of newprocedures to screen civil service personnel, and helped toimprove procedures for customs checks at border locations. Amore recently organized group in the oblast of Donetsk isshowing signs of being similarly aggressive in pursuit of itsanti-corruption agenda. [See box next page.]

USAID�s two-track strategy of involving civil societywhile simultaneously working to increase the capacity of localgovernments for fiscal and financial management has provento be an effective response to the potential for corruption at thelocal level. USAID/Bolivia, for example, supported the PopularParticipation Law at the local level to establish mechanisms oflocal control and participation. Eleven municipalities now useparticipatory techniques to develop annual operating plans and

13

USA

ID A

ND A

NT

I-CO

RR

UP

TIO

N

budgets. Elected representatives to municipal vigilance com-mittees oversee and regulate the budget allocation process.USAID/El Salvador worked with local governments to improvetransparency, citizen participation, revenue generation, andservice delivery at the municipal level. In addition, new partici-patory mechanisms have been adopted to help fix budgetpriorities with regard to infrastructure and services. Mayorshave opened their management decision-making to publicscrutiny, calling town meetings to explain the budget or reporton how the previous year�s budget was used. Several mayorsanswered constituent questions on radio call-in programs.USAID/Paraguay, USAID/Philippines, and USAID/Lebanon aresupporting similar initiatives to encourage community input intobudget and other decisions.

14

Ukraine: Public/Private Partnership

In two municipalities in Ukraine, Donetsk and Lviv, USAID-spon-sored anti-corruption workshops to promote cooperation betweencity administrators and citizens� groups have led to some extraordi-nary successes. A non-governmental group in the Ukrainian oblast ofLviv has effected increased levels of media coverage of the corrup-tion issue, installed hotlines to collect public grievances aboutcorrupt officials, successfully promoted the adoption of the newprocedures to screen civil society personnel, and helped to improveprocedures for customs checks at border locations. A more recentlyorganized public/private partnership in the oblast of Donetsk, thePartnership for Integrity, has been likewise aggressive in pursuit of itsanti-corruption agenda, conducting a massive public awarenesscampaign, publishing brochures on citizens rights, and working withthe Oblast Coordinating Committee to introduce administrativereforms that can reduce corruption, such as reducing traffic check-points and streamlining licensing procedures for businesses. In fact,according to an oblast official, a foreign business team headed by amajor U.S. company stated that its decision to invest $65 million in asunflower-processing plant was strongly influenced by the group�simpressive anti-corruption campaign; the investment is anticipated tobring 600 new jobs to the city beginning in 2000.

USA

ID A

ND A

NT

I-CO

RR

UP

TIO

NMediaA robust, independent media, trained in ethical reporting andinvestigative journalism techniques, can both increase the risksof exposure for corrupt officials and educate the public on thecosts of corruption. Accordingly, in many places around theworld, USAID works to strengthen the media. In Latin America,USAID helped create the Latin American Journalism Center, anorganization based in Panama that provides training to raisethe skills of journalists and cultivate the media�s commitment tofighting corruption. The center offers a specific seminar in anti-corruption investigation and reporting and emphasizes highprofessional and ethical standards in all training programs. Inthe Philippines, USAID helped support the Center for Investiga-tive Journalism, an organization that documented cases incorruption and identified a handful of cases in which citizenssuccessfully opposed corruption. Based on this research, thegroup published a book, Pork and Other Perks, that helped tomake corruption a campaign issue in the 1998 national elec-tions. [See box this page.]

USAID has been actively involved in promoting thedevelopment of an independent media sector throughout theformer communist world, using innovative approaches to

Philippines Pork and Other Perks

In 1997, a group of NGOs in the Philippines, headed by the Centerfor Investigative Journalism, documented cases in corruption andidentified a handful of cases in which citizens successfully opposedcorrupt acts. Based on this research, the group published a book,Pork and Other Perks, near the end of the 1998 national and localpolitical campaigns. In part because of the book, corruption becamea focal point of the elections and was highlighted in public dialogues,political speeches, newspaper articles and editorials, and other mediaoutlets. Many observers believe the publication was instrumental indecisions to re-negotiate a major government contract with a foreignproperty developer and to dampen �pork barrel� budgets frequentlymisused by national legislators. The newly elected president of thePhilippines has made fighting graft and corruption one of the themesof his administration.

15

USA

ID A

ND A

NT

I-CO

RR

UP

TIO

N

challenge old mind-sets. We have, for instance, supported thedevelopment of private sector television by funding training ininvestigative journalism, production techniques, and commer-cial practices. Our assistance has also helped to expand legalprotection for journalists, and to form and strengthen mediaassociations. Through its support for media associations inArmenia, for instance, USAID helped to ensure that legislativeinitiatives that would restrict the rights and freedoms of theindependent press have not been taken. A media campaign toinform the public of its legal rights in the housing sector is alsoplanned in Armenia. The Georgian parliament, with USAIDassistance, passed a new administrative code that includes alandmark freedom of information section that will open govern-ment records to the media and the public.

16

USA

ID A

ND A

NT

I-CO

RR

UP

TIO

N

17

USAID COOPERATION WITH OTHER DONORS ANDINTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

To further strengthen our ability to combat corruption, USAID�soffices in Washington and overseas have developed closepartnerships with the international development banks and otherbilateral donors. One of USAID�s earliest achievements in donorcoordination was the formation of the Donor Consultative Groupon Accountability and Anti-corruption in Latin America and theCaribbean (DCG), part of the AAA Project. Initiated ten yearsago, the DCG now includes six bilateral and twelve multilateraldevelopment agencies. Through quarterly coordination meet-ings, DCG members have avoided duplication of effort andconflicting programs, and stretched resources to benefit almostevery country in the region. The DCG�s crowning achievementhas been the development of a common, computerized finan-cial management system framework that ensures compatibilityno matter which donor provides the support. [See box nextpage.]

A similar donor group has been convened for EasternEurope and the former Soviet republics, with the Organisationfor Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as thecoordinating body. As part of that effort, USAID�s Bureau forEurope and Eurasia and the OECD have parented the Anti-Corruption Network for Transition Economies. This organizationis facilitating coordination among governments, civil societyorganizations, and the business community in the formercommunist countries through regional conferences, workshopson specific anti-corruption measures, and an Internet website.[See box next page.]

USAID has been an important player in the adoption ofinternational conventions against corruption. In 1996, theOECD�s Development Assistance Committee adopted a rec-ommendation that required donors to include an anti-briberyclause in their assistance-funded procurement actions. USAIDplayed a major role in drafting the recommendation and inconvincing other donors to support the measure. USAID has

USA

ID A

ND A

NT

I-CO

RR

UP

TIO

N

18Americas� Accountability/Anti-Corruption Project

Throughout its ten-year history, the AAA Project has been the source ofmany innovations in combating public corruption. Beginning in 1989,the project organized the Donor Consultative Group on Accountabilityand Anti-corruption in Latin America and the Caribbean (DCG). Com-prising six bilateral and 12 multilateral donor agencies who meetquarterly, the DCG has dramatically increased the number of coordi-nated financial management and anti-corruption projects in the region.The AAA project has also undertaken ambitious efforts to publicize theneed to fight corruption across the Americas and provide a publicforum for issues related to corruption. Three interactive Respondaconteleconferences, a quarterly newsletter (Respondabilidad), and abilingual website (www.respondanet.com) are the main tools theproject has used to raise awareness and spark debate about corruption.The teleconferences have attracted some 4,000 official participantsfrom 19 countries, and were broadcast over radio and television inmany countries. The website serves as an important source of up-to-date, objective information on corruption scandals in the region andworldwide anti-corruption efforts. In addition, it hosts an electronicforum for concerned citizens to debate issues related to corruption intheir countries. Among the many successes of the AAA Project are thewide diffusion of a common financial management reform model innearly every country in Latin America; the adoption of uniform stan-dards in accounting and auditing among professional organizations inLatin America; and increased awareness of the high costs of corruptionamong government officials, citizens, and NGOs. The combination ofstrengthened financial management systems and broad-based anti-corruption efforts on a regional scale is a unique achievement.

Based on the success of the AAA Project, in 1997 USAID�sBureau for Europe and Eurasia entered into a partnership with OECD�sCentre for Co-operation with Non-members to create an informal Anti-corruption Network for Transition Economies. Linked by an electronicwebsite (www.nobribes.org), the network serves as an informationexchange forum for specific policies and best practices in this field. It isone of the few examples of genuine coordination in the post-communistworld. Its composition fosters policy dialogue among three forcesfrequently isolated from one another: international donors, select host-country government officials, and NGOs. It also draws attention to theroles of NGOs, public policy �think tanks,� and business associations,as distinct from law enforcement bodies, in anti-corruption efforts�aparticularly important sector given the complete absence of independentcivil society in much of the area before 1991.

USA

ID A

ND A

NT

I-CO

RR

UP

TIO

Nalso been instrumental in promoting the OECD convention thatcriminalizes the tax deduction for bribes to government offi-cials.

Working with regional inter-governmental organizationshas also proven to be an important element of USAID�s anti-corruption approach. Along with State/INL, our Bureau for LatinAmerica and the Caribbean is supporting a series of work-shops with the Organization of American States on the Inter-

19

Global Coalition for Africa

USAID�s Africa Bureau has been working closely with the GlobalCoalition for Africa (GCA) to raise awareness and build broad-basedsupport for anti-corruption efforts across the African continent. Tothis end, USAID sponsored a policy forum in Maputo, Mozambique in1997 and funded an African workshop at the Eighth InternationalAnti-Corruption Conference in Lima, Peru in 1997. These earlyinternational consultations led the GCA to concentrate its efforts firston the problem of corruption in public procurement. A number ofAfrican countries have responded to the GCA�s call for integrity ininternational procurement. For example, Benin, Ethiopia, Malawi,Mali, Tanzania, and Uganda have all publicly stated that their pro-curement contracts will carry anti-corruption clauses.

Most recently under the auspices of the GCA, USAID�sBureau for Africa, in collaboration with the Departments of State,Commerce, and Treasury, co-sponsored a gathering of ministers andsenior officials from 11 African countries in February 1999 todiscuss collaborative frameworks to combat corruption in Africa.This meeting resulted in the adoption of �Principles to CombatCorruption in African Countries,� which prescribes establishingbudgetary and financial transparency, eliminating unnecessarygovernment regulations, adopting and enforcing effective nationallaws and codes of conduct for public officials, undertaking adminis-trative reform, and promoting transparency in public procurement. Inthe wake of this momentous first step in addressing corruption inAfrica, USAID will continue to work with the GCA to encourage theadoption of the 25 principles by African heads of state and sub-regional organizations on the continent. The ultimate goal ofUSAID�s collaborative work with the GCA is the signing of anAfrican anti-corruption convention.

USA

ID A

ND A

NT

I-CO

RR

UP

TIO

N

American Convention Against Corruption. The workshopsserve to facilitate ratification of the convention in those coun-tries that have not done so, and evaluate and seek to improvecompliance with the convention�s terms in those countries thathave ratified it. The LAC Bureau has also sponsored anexperts� roundtable with American University and TI-USA ondeveloping monitoring mechanisms for the Inter-AmericanConvention Against Corruption.

USAID has also established an effective workingrelationship with the World Bank. Perhaps the most concretemanifestation of that relationship is USAID�s support for theWorld Bank�s diagnostic surveys, which identify the institutionsin a particular country where corruption is prevalent. AlreadyUSAID has co-financed, with the World Bank, surveys inAlbania and Georgia. Similar USAID participation is anticipatedfor Bulgaria, Philippines, and Romania. The diagnostic surveyis typically followed by a national integrity conference thatengages representatives from government, civil society, thebusiness community, and international donors in discussionsabout corruption. This participatory process is designed toresult in nationally agreed upon strategies and corollary actionplans to improve both governmental integrity and the businessenvironment. USAID and the World Bank complement eachother in their support to countries implementing the actionplans.

USAID�s partnerships with international NGOs havelikewise yielded impressive results. For instance, the supportthat USAID�s Bureau for Global Programs, Field Support, andResearch has provided to Transparency International (TI) hashelped to heighten international recognition of corruption as adevelopment problem and promote the broader participation ofcitizens in the fight against corruption. Specifically, USAID andother donor contributions have enabled TI to develop anddisseminate the TI Source Book, which documents bestpractices, and the widely-known Corruption Perception Index,which has caused a number of countries to take their owncorruption problems more seriously. These contributions havealso helped TI to sponsor regional and international anti-corruption workshops, and foster local TI chapters in morethan 70 countries worldwide.

20

USA

ID A

ND A

NT

I-CO

RR

UP

TIO

NFinally, USAID has reached out to other U.S. govern-

ment agencies. An intra-agency group convened by USAID inDecember 1997 has evolved into an inter-agency group withparticipation from the Departments of State, Justice, andTreasury. This group meets monthly to exchange informationand coordinate anti-corruption activities at the working level. AtUSAID�s invitation, the Departments of State and Justice werevoting representatives on a USAID contractor selection panelfor anti-corruption projects. USAID has contributed substan-tially to a State-led effort to develop regional action plans tocombat corruption. Representatives from USAID�s Bureau forEurope and Eurasia and USAID�s Bureau for Global Programs,Field Support, and Research participate in a senior-level inter-agency group chaired by the Department of State�s Bureau forInternational Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. Within thegroup, USAID seeks to ensure that anti-corruption is treated asa development issue as well as an international law enforce-ment issue. USAID�s Bureau for Latin America and the Carib-bean has worked closely with State/INL to strengthen anti-corruption institutions in Central America and the Caribbeanduring the hurricane reconstruction process. USAID�s Bureaufor Africa has collaborated with the Departments of State,Treasury, and Commerce to co-sponsor activities that promotea meaningful dialogue on governmental integrity among Africanleaders. These efforts, carried out with the cooperation of theGlobal Coalition for Africa, are intended to culminate in acontinent-wide convention on corruption in Africa, following theexample of the Organization of American States� Inter-Ameri-can Convention Against Corruption. [See box page 19.]

21

USA

ID A

ND A

NT

I-CO

RR

UP

TIO

N

22

IN CONCLUSION

Corruption is a universal problem. No nation is immune, butdeveloping countries, where the state is often the largest andmost obvious source of wealth, often have a more difficultstruggle to address corruption. USAID�with its wealth ofexperience, its particular strength in helping countries tomobilize civil society, and its strong relationships with its hostcountry counterparts and other donors�is well-positioned tohelp its partner countries take on corruption. To that end, weshare this document and welcome a dialogue with othersengaged in the struggle.

PN-ACF-740

Center for Democracy and GovernanceBureau for Global Programs, Field Support, and Research

U.S. Agency for International DevelopmentWashington, DC 20523-3100

Tel: (202) 712-1892Fax: (202) 216-3232