Promoting Transparency and Accountability: USAID's Anti-corruption Experience

摘要

USAID has long been a leader in the battle against corruption, by promoting transparency and accountability, establishing checks and balances, and strengthening the rule of law. With corruption's heightened visibility, USAID is now tackling the issue more directly. An important difference from the past is that we are able to involve non-governmental actors, including civil society, in our efforts. We are convinced that civil society can have a significant effect on a government's will to enact and sustain anti-corruption reforms. USAID has focused efforts on reducing public corruption because of its destabilizing effects on political stability and economic growth. Public corruption undermines the legitimacy of governments by distorting decision-making processes, weakening institutional capacity and eroding public confidence.