No improvement in Sudan’s corruption index

December 3, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The global Corruption Perceptions Index for 2013 released by Transparency International (TI) this week kept Sudan on the very low end compared to other world countries.

Sudan’s index score declined from 13 in 2012 to 11 this year making it ahead of only Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia. It is ranked at 174 out of 175 among the countries surveyed.

Ironically South Sudan, which came to birth in July 2011, was given a slightly better score than Sudan.

Sudanese officials acknowledge the existence of corruption within government ranks and affiliated bodies but insist that is grossly exaggerated without solid proof.

Early in 2012, Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir ordered the establishment of an anti-corruption commission to “monitor and follow what is being published in the media about corruption,” and to coordinate with the Presidency of the Republic and other competent authorities in the Ministry of Justice and the National Assembly in order to complete information on what is being raised about corruption on the state level”.

But after more than a year of seemingly zero activity, Bashir sacked the commission head and did not appoint a replacement dealing blow to demands by the public for more robust investigation of corruption.

A major economic government-sponsored forum held in Khartoum last month called for establishing an anti-graft commission as one means of resolving the financial crisis faced by the country.

(ST)