Paper

Corruption and the Challenge for Civil Society

September 2003

Abstract

Although corruption represents a major obstacle for development in Arab countries, the level of knowledge of corrupt activities in the South, and particularly the MENA region, is much lower than in the Northern participants of the Euromed process. All countries are affected to varying degrees by corruption. However, the Northern participants differ in that they have more vigorous media and civil society organisations (CSOs) to document cases of corruption, as well as an independent judiciary to prosecute them. Studies show that top-down anti-corruption campaigns led by governments in MENA countries were usually aimed at consolidating the position of political leaders and rarely achieved long-term change. Coalitions involving the government, the business sector and civil society are needed to effectively tackle corruption. In order to achieve this goal, the participants of the Euromed process should make combatting corruption a priority of the EMP, including in the context of economic liberalisation, privatisation and aid flows. All participants should adopt international standards to curb corruption in international business transactions. Regarding civil society, the EU for its part should support CSOs in the South, while Northern CSOs should monitor Northern corporations that are active in the South. 

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