Could you please specify the obstacles to tackling
corruption in countries in the Middle East? What are the main
impediments to developing effective preventive measures against
corruption? My special interest is Egypt.
Content
Part I discusses Middle East region-wide
anti-corruption initiatives and obstacles to reform.
Part II sets out an overview of anti-corruption
efforts and obstacles to reform in Egypt.
Part I: Anti-corruption initiatives and obstacles to reform in the
Middle East
The Arab World spans a vast area with differences in culture, ethnicity,
civil rights and the strength of civil society. Over the past few years,
the region has witnessed the emergence of a generation of younger leaders
who have expressed the need to initiate change to improve opportunities
for the poorest in their country and to institute measures to combat
corruption. The process of change is made difficult by non-democratic
government structures which frequently have little accountability and
responsiveness to civil society. Freedom of information laws are
lacking, which means that governments control the information that
is made available to citizens. Another obstacle is the use of "wasta"
or influence trafficking which is a form of corruption that is often
as debilitating as the actual paying of bribes.
The UNCAC has been ratified by four MENA countries: Algeria, Egypt,
Jordan and Libya, although implementation of its main provisions
has not yet taken place (including those related to prevention of
corruption and criminalisation of corrupt practices). The Conference
of the State Parties to the UNCAC will meet at the end of this year
in Jordan to develop the Convention's monitoring mechanism. Only states
that have ratified the Convention will be able to participate in this
event, influencing the process of reviewing implementation and facilitating
the activities required by the Convention.
The
UN Human Development Report for the Arab World
This report (the latest available version is from 2004) indicates
stumbling blocks on the path to reform in the region. The Israeli
occupation and the war in Iraq are clearly factors that hamper reform
efforts. The report undertakes a thorough analysis of the structures
impeding freedom in the Arab World, amongst which are state repression
of political diversity and the appropriating of religion to perpetuate
tyranny.
TI
Source Book: The Arab Integrity System
Transparency International (TI) recently published (in September 2005)
the "TI Source Book: The Arab Integrity System" (in Arabic)
which adapts the TI Source Book to the Arab context. The Source Book
addresses the causes of corruption in the region and discusses appropriate
tools to fight it. The book discusses, amongst a wide range of other
subjects, how to tackle the obstacles civil society faces in combating
corruption as well as what immediate reforms are necessary in order
to ensure greater transparency and openness. It also explores how
to ensure transparent and fair elections, why independent,
non-state press agencies in the Arab region are badly needed,
the importance of good governance and the role legislatures play
in ensuring better health, education and service provision. The Source
Book for the Arab World was developed precisely in response to a need
expressed by anti-corruption activists throughout the region for an
analysis of anti-corruption reform priorities.
Group of Eight-Broader Middle East and North Africa
(G8 BMENA)
The Group of Eight-Broader Middle East and North Africa (G8 BMENA)
civil society dialogue on Transparency and Anti-Corruption is one
of four civil society dialogues undertaken as part of the Forum for
the Future 2005 held in Bahrain. This dialogue has been attended by
representatives from both civil society and the private sector in
G8 countries, 16 BMENA countries and Turkey. It produced a concrete
and practical "Platform
for Action" including three recommendations: to ratify and
implement the UN Convention Against Corruption, to implement policies
and practical measures to ensure transparency in public financial
management, and to take anti-corruption action to address the
social deficit.
Following up on the Platform for Action recommendation to promote
the ratification and effective implementation of the UN Convention
against Corruption (UNCAC) in the Middle East and North Africa, a
recent conference, entitled "Promoting the UN Convention against
Corruption (UNCAC) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)",
focused on the overall status of the Convention in the region and
examined concrete steps to promote its ratification and effective
implementation. The conference was attended by government ministers,
parliamentarians, diplomatic missions, the private sector and the
media.
Egypt's population is growing at a rate of 1.3 million a year,
and one of the biggest economic and social challenges is the creation
of jobs. Every year, hundreds of thousands of young Egyptians enter
the job market. Crucial to the creation of a healthy economic environment
is the issue of democratic structures in Egypt. Ahmed Nazeef, the
Egyptian prime minister, has described Egypt as a 'democracy in transition',
one that is moving from a single party system to a multi-party one.
There are 22 political parties in Egypt. The imprisonment of Ayman
Nour, who came 2nd to President Hosni Mubarak in the Presidential
elections, has raised questions about Egypt's commitment to moving
towards democracy. Parties such as the Muslim Brotherhood are seen
by many in Egypt as the only substantial alternative to government.
However, in spite of their strong outcome in recent elections (their
share rose from 3% to 20%, the Egyptian government refuses to recognise
them, stating that religion and politics should be kept separate.
Egypt is ranked at number 70 in the 2005 Corruption Perception Index
with a score of 3.4 out of 10, and according to the World Bank, it
is one of the most corrupt countries in the MENA region. Egypt
ratified the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in February
2005 and emerged as a leader in the Middle East to promote reform
in this area. Egypt has not signed the African Union Convention on
preventing and combating corruption. Egypt is one of the founding
members of the Middle East & North Africa Financial Action Task
Force (MENAFATF). Progress has been made in the financial sector
by incorporating Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) recommendations;
the country was removed from the FATF blacklist. Furthermore a Money
Laundering Combating Unit was established, which was admitted to the
international Egmont Group in June 2004. But Egypt still faces severe
problems in this sector through ongoing scandals involving
four state-controlled public sector banks and a dependent Central
Bank of Egypt strongly linked to the ruling party.
There are four national institutions within Egypt that could
be effective anti-corruption enforcement bodies, but are often incapacitated
by the non-democratic governing structures. One such body, the Administrative
Authority Council is a "powerful monitoring agency"
(Global
Corruption Report 2004) that cannot act prior to the president's
permission. (Others bodies include the Central Auditing Agency, Administrative
Prosecution Authority, and Public Funds Prosecution).
Recent parliamentary inquiries concerning corruption cases (e.g.
the ferry disaster in the Red Sea) and a more active press and civil
society underline the growing public concern with corruption.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this U4 Expert Response are not
necessarily those of Transparency International.
