Corruption and Democracy | DAVOS 2020

TL;DR

Transparency International discusses key findings of the Corruption Perception Index, highlighting the correlation between corruption and weak political institutions, while emphasizing the need for collective action to combat corruption.

Transcript

we need to we need to show that corruption is a punishable offense that there are repercussions for it not against journalists but against the people who are guilty of the crimes and in that way begin changing the culture too because I have to say that that it's also a cultural problem it's my pleasure to welcome today's panelists the audience in t... Read More

Key Insights

• 🖤 The Corruption Perception Index reveals a correlation between corruption and weak political institutions, lack of trust in institutions, and the undermining of democracy.
• 😃 Transparency International emphasizes the influence of big money in politics and the correlation between campaign financing regulation and corruption.
• 🧑‍🚒 Efforts of individual countries, like Botswana, in fighting corruption are acknowledged, but sustained effort and collaboration are needed to address the global problem of corruption.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does Transparency International ensure that countries' good efforts against corruption are sustained in terms of building capacities?

Transparency International works with its chapters in over 100 countries to propose laws and mechanisms for holding those in power accountable. The organization provides tools for investigating and tackling corruption, including tools for monitoring campaign financing and money in politics.

Q: What efforts have been made in Malta since the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia?

Matthew Caruana Galizia, the son of Daphne Caruana Galizia, highlights that the government's response to corruption in Malta has been inadequate. While some reforms have been implemented, they lack a genuine drive to fight corruption and fail to address the culture of corruption that enabled his mother's murder.

Q: To what extent would changing extradition laws help combat corruption?

Changing extradition laws to facilitate international cooperation in prosecuting corruption would be helpful. Without effective supranational mechanisms to fight money laundering and cross-border crime, corrupt individuals can evade justice by seeking refuge in countries without extradition agreements.

Q: How can big companies like Goldman Sachs be held accountable for their involvement in corruption cases like 1MDB?

Transparency International has various tools, reports, and initiatives to hold companies accountable for their involvement in corruption. The organization's Exporting Corruption report analyzes companies' behavior in foreign countries, while supranational mechanisms and international cooperation are necessary to fight transnational corruption effectively.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Transparency International launched its Corruption Perception Index, which measures public sector corruption in 190 countries. Denmark and New Zealand rank as the best-performing countries, while Venezuela, Germany, Syria, South Sudan, and Somalia rank at the bottom.

• The index shows a correlation between corruption and weak political institutions, lack of trust in institutions, and the undermining of democracy.

• Transparency International also emphasizes the influence of big money in politics and the correlation between campaign financing regulation and corruption.