BERLIN (AP) – Countries with less corruption are in a better position to address the economic and health challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, according to an annual study released Thursday by an anti-graft organization.
Transparency International’s 2020 Corruption Perception Index, which measures the perception of corruption in the public sector according to experts and entrepreneurs, concluded that countries that performed well invested more in health, were “better able to provide universal coverage and are less likely to violate democratic norms. “
“COVID-19 is not just an economic and health crisis,” said Delia Ferreira Rubio, head of Transparency. “It is a corruption crisis – which we are currently unable to manage.”
This year’s index showed that the United States reached a new low amid a steady decline under Donald Trump, with a score of 67 on a scale where 0 is “highly corrupt” and 100 is “very clean”.
This still placed the US 25th on the list, tying with Chile, but behind many other Western democracies. It dropped from a score of 69 in 2019, 71 in 2018 and 75 in 2017, and dropped to the lowest level since the comparison figures are available.
“In addition to alleged conflicts of interest and abuse of office at the highest level, in 2020, the weak oversight of the $ 1 trillion COVID-19 aid package raised serious concerns and marked a setback to long-standing democratic norms that promote a responsible government, ”said the Transparency report, based in Berlin.
The link between corruption and the response to the coronavirus can be widely seen worldwide, according to the report’s analysis.
For example, Uruguay scored 71 points – ranking 21st on the list. She invests heavily in health and has a strong epidemiological surveillance system, which has helped not only with COVID-19, but also with other diseases like yellow fever and Zika, said Transparency.
In contrast, Bangladesh, which had 26 points and ranked 146 on the list, “invests little in health while corruption flourishes during COVID-19, ranging from bribes in health clinics to undue help,” wrote Transparency. “Corruption is also widespread in the acquisition of medical supplies.”
Even in New Zealand, which ranked first as the least corrupt nation with a score of 88 and was praised for its response to the pandemic, there was room for improvement, Transparency noted.
“Although the government communicates openly about the measures and policies it implements, more transparency is needed around public procurement for the recovery of COVID-19,” wrote the organization.
Overall, of the 180 countries surveyed, two-thirds scored below 50 out of 100 and the average score was 43.
Denmark and New Zealand tied for first place as the least corrupt countries, with 88 points, followed by Finland, Singapore, Switzerland and Sweden with 85, Norway with 84, Holland with 82 and Germany and Luxembourg with 80 to round the top 10.
Australia, Canada, Hong Kong and Great Britain scored 77 in 11th place.
Somalia and South Sudan had the worst results with 12 points, ranking 179th, behind Syria with 14, Yemen and Venezuela with 15, Sudan and Equatorial Guinea with 16, Libya with 17 and North Korea, Haiti and the Republic Democratic Republic of the 18.
Since 2012, the first comparison point available using the current methodology, 26 countries have improved significantly, including Greece, which increased 14 points to 50, Myanmar, which increased 13 points to 28, and Ecuador, which increased 7 points to 39.
At the same time, 22 countries decreased significantly, including Lebanon, which dropped 5 points to 25, Malawi and Bosnia and Herzegovina, which fell 7 points to 30 and 35, respectively.
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