ANTI-CORRUPTION

Corruption is usually defined as “the misuse of entrusted power for private gain”, the definition used in the Danida Action Plan to Fight Corruption. Though the definition has been criticised for representing a Western tradition of government and administration, it does capture the notion that corruption is based on informal relationships of accountability, which are at odds with formal democratic accountability relationships.

Corruption has been shown to be most detrimental to the poor and vulnerable. It undermines the public sector and economic growth rates, investment rates, the allocation of public resources, and other essential elements of national development. Corruption redistributes resources and welfare away from those already deprived. It has the general effect of reducing the legitimacy of the government and the public sector in the eyes of the rest of society. This scourge is a major risk associated with development assistance.

A number of key international conventions provide the goalposts for Denmark’s support to anti-corruption. Denmark has signed up to and ratified the United Nations Convention against Corruption (58/4 of 31 October 2003), which requires a road map for integrity at the domestic and international levels. Denmark is also a signatory member of the OECD Anti-bribery convention (1999), which commits member countries to criminalize bribery both in domestic as well as international business affairs.

The Danida Action Plan to Fight Corruption is consistent with the principles laid out in the above conventions. The Plan includes three concentric circles, i.e. 1) The Danish Aid Delivery System 2) the handling of Danish aid funds within the partners’ management systems and 3) the partner countries and societies at large. The new Danish governance strategy “Effective and Accountable Public Sector Management - Strategic Priorities for Danish Support to Good Governance” reinforces the strategic focus on anti-corruption in Danish development assistance. In particular, anti-corruption is seen and addressed in the wider context of governance shortcomings and in a political-economy perspective, thereby addressing the systemic issues to curb corruption.

We depend on you! Please give your feedback and share relevant information from the field of Anti-corruption with us continuously. Write to Søren Davidsen.