This Anti-Corruption Helpdesk brief was produced in response to a query from the European Commission. The Anti-Corruption Helpdesk is operated by Transparency International and funded by the European Union.
Query
Could you provide an overview of corruption and anti-corruption in Kiribati?
Content
1. Overview of corruption in Kiribati
2. Governance structure and anti-corruption efforts in Kiribati
3. References
Caveat
Recent literature and studies on the current political situation in Kiribati as well as in-depth research on corruption and the impact of corruption on specific sectors in the country are limited.
Summary
Corruption is a widespread problem in Kiribati, but the limited available research makes it challenging to properly assess the level and impact of corruption in the country. Much like its neighbours, Kiribati is situated in the global average in terms of its performance on governance indicators.
Political corruption and nepotism seem to be the main corruption issues in Kiribati, and the economic importance of the fishing industry and fishery management increasingly makes it a corruption-prone area.
The country’s small population and limited resources are obstacles to setting up fully functioning governance and oversight mechanisms. Kiribati still lacks many essential attributes of an efficient anti-corruption system.
Authors
Sofia Wickberg, Transparency International, [email protected]
Reviewers
Dieter Zinnbauer, Transparency International
Date
28/01/2013
