Only four countries scored above 50 out of 100
Berlin, 31 January 2023 – The 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released today by Transparency International shows the dire situation in Sub-Saharan Africa. Most countries have failed to make anti-corruption progress, with stagnant levels, with 90% of her countries in the region scoring below 50.
But corruption is not the only obstacle facing the region. The region is also one of the least peaceful in the world, according to the Global Peace Index. This is no coincidence. Corruption and conflict feed into each other’s vicious cycle. Countries in conflict are therefore more corrupt, and corruption fuels conflict.of Central African Republic (twenty four), Sudan (twenty two), Democratic Republic of the Congo (20), South Sudan (13) and Somalia (12) is one of the 10 least peaceful countries in the world and ranks in the bottom 30 countries in the overall CPI.
Samuel Kaninda, Regional Advisor for Africa, Transparency International, said:
“People across the African continent are currently facing challenges from all directions: food shortages, rising costs of living, an ongoing pandemic and numerous ongoing conflicts. Despite playing a role, most governments in the region continue to neglect their anti-corruption efforts: Africans are using words and promises to root out rampant corruption at this crucial time. We are urging leaders to go beyond and take bold and decisive action, otherwise the situation will continue to deteriorate.”
Sub-Saharan Africa highlight
The CPI ranks 180 countries and territories on a scale of 0 (very corrupt) to 100 (very clean) according to their perceived level of corruption in the public sector.
Sub-Saharan Africa’s average remains the lowest in the world, dropping one point to 32 this year.
- Seychelles (70) topped the region, Cape Verde and Botswana Both distant runners-up in 60.
- Burundi (17), Equatorial Guinea (17), South Sudan (13) and Somalia (12) Lowest score in the region.
- Lesotho (37), Eswatini (30), Gabon (29), Liberia (26) and Comoros (19) is at a historic low this year.
- Since 2017, Angola (33) significantly improved CPI.
See the region’s 2022 CPI page for individual country scores and changes over time, as well as regional analysis.
corruption, conflict and security
At a time when people across the continent are struggling to cope with the effects of the pandemic and rising costs of living, high levels of corruption have left governments vulnerable, without the resources and public support, and unable to prevent conflict. increase. As a result, the violence and instability that plague many countries in the region, from military coups to extremism, terrorism and crime, further fuels corruption.
- In the Sahel region, ongoing violence fuels instability and fuels corruption. Terrorist groups have gained support by exploiting public dissatisfaction with the government, particularly by alleging corruption.The ongoing conflict has led to multiple coups, two of which Burkina Faso (42) Exactly 1 in 2022 Mali (28) The previous year. This authoritarian military control, in turn, gives room for corruption to worsen.
- After decades of conflict, South Sudan (13) is in grave humanitarian danger, with more than half the population facing severe food insecurity and corruption exacerbating the situation. A report last year by investigative policy organization Sentry revealed that a massive fraudulent scheme by a network of corrupt politicians with ties to the president’s family was siphoning aid for food, fuel and medicine. rice field.
- Violence by illegal armed groups continues to plague the world. Democratic Republic of the Congo (20). Corruption of civil servants allows such groups to plunder the country’s natural resources, fund their atrocities, deprive the government of resources, and deprive the people of basic necessities.
- Somalia (12) has the lowest CPI and is consistently ranked as one of the least peaceful countries in the world. For three decades, violence and instability have ravaged the country, leaving many Somalis in dire humanitarian conditions. Corruption is rife, but officials continue to ignore the issue, with newly elected President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud disbanding his two major anti-corruption groups in October.
Transparency International prioritizes anti-corruption efforts, strengthens checks and balances, defends the right to information, limits the influence of individuals, and advocates for governments to ultimately rid the world of corruption and the violence it causes. I’m looking for
Daniel Erickson, CEO of Transparency International, said:
“The good news is that leaders can fight corruption and promote peace. In a democratic society, people can speak up and demand a safer world for all of us to root out corruption.”
Note to editors
Our media pages include the 2022 CPI report, complete datasets and methodology, international press releases, and additional analysis on sub-Saharan Africa in English and French. See here: https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2022/media-kit.
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About the Corruption Perceptions Index
Since its launch in 1995, the Corruption Perceptions Index has become the leading global indicator of public sector corruption. The index uses data from 13 external sources, including the World Bank, World Economic Forum, private risk and consulting firms, think tanks, and more, to rank 180 countries worldwide based on their perception of public sector corruption. and score regions. Scores reflect the views of experts and business people.
The CPI calculation process is regularly reviewed to ensure it is as robust and consistent as possible. The most recent was by the European Commission’s Collaborative Research Center in 2017. All CPI scores since 2012 are comparable from one year to the next. For more information, see the article: ABCs of the CPI: How the Corruption Perception Index is Calculated.
