Sudan’s standing on corruption index rating worsens in 2012
December 5, 2012 (WASHINGTON) – Sudan’s ranking on corruption perception index is only better than Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia in 2012, according to a report released today by an anti-corruption watchdog.
Transparency International’s (TI) Corruption Perception Index, measures perceptions of public sector corruption around the world based on surveys taken of business executives and experts.
Sudan now stands at 173 out of 174 compared to 177 out of 182 in 2011. Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan moved ahead of the East African nation since last year.
Earlier this year Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir established an anti-graft agency in response to growing concern over corruption and what is seen as lack of accountability in that area. However so far nothing has emerged from the agency on its corruption probe.
Sudanese officials including president Bashir have downplayed the level of corruption in the country calling it exaggerated. But the Inspector General’s annual reports to the parliament including this year’s continue to show cases of embezzlement and fraud within the government.
Last month the Inspector General’s said that violations in states have increased by 38.1% compared to the previous reporting period.
He said that for example his office found that the Ministry of International Cooperation used a grant from an unknown source in the amount of 721 million Sudanese pound ($163 million) adding that there was no indication what it was spent on.
The Inspector General further revealed that two grants from Algeria and Qatar did not appear in the books of the finance ministry and its whereabouts are unknown.
(ST)