Fighting grand corruption: Challenges and successes

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

Are there success stories or successful programmes that have addressed the fight against grand corruption? What have been their main focus (for example, transparency and internal controls or capacity building of institutions) in prosecution and/or forensic audits, and so on?

Content

1. Challenges involved in fighting grand corruption

2. Successful examples: where and how has the fight against grand corruption had positive results?

3. References

Summary

Grand corruption involves acts committed by individuals at a high level of government or executives in the private sector who have a significant impact on society by distorting policies or the functioning of the state, enabling leaders to benefit at the expense of the public good. Fighting grand corruption is extremely challenging, and progress so far has been very limited.

Fighting grand corruption requires a set of measures at the domestic level, where corruption takes place, and abroad, where stolen assets are often located. These measures range from the adoption of mechanisms and reforms to support prevention and detection of corruption, such as transparent public financial management systems and strong anti-money laundering rules, to the enforcement of laws and punishment of public officials, companies and senior executives involved in grand corruption schemes. It also requires measures to find and recover stolen assets.

Measures that have been partially successful in addressing this issue are those undertaken to overcome the challenges encountered in the fight against grand corruption. They include the establishment of specialised anti-corruption units, the use of alternative legal instruments to recover assets and seek damages, and public interest litigations, among others.  

This Helpdesk answer is also available in French and Spanish

Authors

Reviewers

Date

22/06/2015

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