Corruption: A Menace to Africa’s Efforts to Meet the Millennium Development Goals

In September 2009, 189 heads of state gathered at the United Nations Headquarters in New York for the Millennium Summit. The Summit adopted the eight point Poverty Reduction Agenda, which later became known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).  The eight MDGs sought to encourage all countries to address human development challenges. The goals also conform to provisions in national constitutions in many of the countries that participated in the summit. The MDGs essentially seek to advance basic human rights, such as the right of every person to health, education, shelter and security as pledged in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Millennium Declaration. For example, Chapters 5 and 6 of the 1992 Ghana Constitution offer provisions that are in line with the MDGs, similar to those of many other countries. The MDGs have also been mainstreamed in country-specific development programs, exemplifying the widespread commitment to fulfill the MDGs.

The MDGs provide comprehensive and well-defined poverty reduction targets with specific milestones. Indeed, among the global development agendas that have been developed over the years, the MDGs have attracted more attention and support from global bodies than previous platforms. However, the indicators to assess the progress of the MDG targets have often been limited by vague, global metrics rather than country and culture-specific ones.  This often results in over-generalization of achievements and overlooks other development challenges that may be unique to specific regions or countries.  Even though it is important to acknowledge the fact that third world countries are confronted with similar development challenges such as poor governance, poverty, corruption, and lack of capital and technology, it is equally important to acknowledge the fact that the root causes of these challenges, their manifestations, and the pattern of their occurrence may differ among countries (Amiya Kumar Bagchi, the Political Economy of Underdevelopment).  It is therefore necessary to emphasize additional assessment indicators that will complement the global MDGs assessment framework. The country or region-specific assessment indicators will consider specific issues within the country or region and how they impact the development efforts, including the MDGs. (e.g. Africa Peer Review Mechanism, Mo Ibrahim Index, Afrobarometer survey, etc).

Highlighting Goal #1 of the MDGs – Eradicate extreme Poverty and Hunger – available reports indicate that corruption, particularly in sub-Sahara Africa, has contributed immensely to the rise in poverty in the sub region and thereby challenges all global efforts to fight poverty. However, the causes for corruption, manifestation, intensity and impacts on development may differ among countries.

Corruption, a Canker in Developing Countries

Africa continues to battle the problem of corruption, which has become systemic, especially in public institutions. Citizens of the continent have lost trust in state institutions set up to facilitate their well-being.  The majority of citizens in 34 African countries condemn their governments' anti-corruption efforts. "Negative ratings of African governments' performance in fighting corruption since 2002 have increased from 46% to 54% with only 5 countries showing a decline in the negative ratings over the last decade" according to an Afrobarometer survey from 2013. 1 out of every 5 persons have paid bribe to receive a service over the last year. Poor leadership styles and rampant corruption among African bureaucrats continue to hamper the livelihoods of their citizens. More than 148 billion dollars is lost to corruption in Africa every year. This figure is equivalent to 25% of Africa's Gross Domestic Product, according to a report published by the African Union. A World Bank report in 2004 revealed that corrupt public officials in developing countries receive between 20 and 40 billion dollars in bribes annually. This figure was estimated to be equal to 20 to 40 percent of official development assistance.

Besides the challenges of slowed development facing the continent, Africa has been largely deprived of basic recognition. For the third time running, no African leader qualified to be awarded by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation. No African country is among the list of the first 30 countries that scored high marks in the 2012 Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perception Index (CPI). Indeed, only two countries in Africa - Cape Verde and Rwanda - scored above average, at 60% and 53%, respectively. The ratings from these regional and global corruption surveys illustrate the deep-seated corruption throughout the continent. The introduction of more finely-tuned, country-specific indicators would help to identify major obstacles and issues in order to fashion effective anti-corruption and poverty reduction agendas.

Corruption and Poverty

During the 1950s and 1960s, Africans joined their leaders to struggle for independence with the conviction that they could manage their own resources to improve their living conditions. Decades later, these goals have still not been adequately achieved.  Much of Africa lacks basic human needs and its poverty index has always earned abysmal ratings, despite the fact that it is endowed with a multitude of natural resources.  In the 2009 UN Human Development Index, 22 of the 24 countries identified as having a "Low Human Development Index" were in sub-Sahara Africa. The theories underpinning the causes of underdevelopment in Africa often dwell heavily on factors such as low investment, lack of capital, and low technology. However, corruption is certainly one of the greatest enemies against Africans' development. The devastating nature of corruption is aptly captured by Prof. Plo-Lumumba of Kenya, who says that "corruption is worse than prostitution. The latter might endanger the morals of an individual; the former invariably endangers the morals of an entire country." Mr. Kofi Annan also succinctly elaborated on the dangers of corruption in his speech in Merida, Mexico. Corruption has a substantial impact on the poor in developing countries by negatively influencing daily life and widening the gap between the rich and the poor. Corruption increases the cost of doing business and heightens the expenditure of public services, therefore depriving the poor the opportunity of enjoying the basic necessities of life.

Has Global Actions against Corruption have any impact on Africa?

Many global unions and institutions have committed time and resources to fight corruption across the world. In its resolution 58/4 of October 31, 2003, the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention against Corruption. Subsequently, a global anti-corruption forum was organized in Mexico from December 9th to 11th in the same year to endorse the convention create an implementation strategy.  The forum called for a comprehensive and integrated anti-corruption strategy, targeting the political, social, and economic domains. It is acknowledged that countries have sovereign rights and responsibilities in implementing global commitments that they support. Successful anti-corruption strategies must therefore recognize and revolve around established anti-corruption institutions within specific countries.  (The Merida Papers, 2003). However, commitment, political will, and determination of leaders and governments to implement anti-corruption laws, regardless of their backgrounds remain the missing link in the struggle against corruption.

Conclusion

Developing countries will continue to engage in international commitments and resolutions against corruption, but enforcement will remain shoddy if the strategies are not tailored to be effective in specific countries and regions. In general, interest in extending their regime outweighs the leader's interest in his or her nation as a whole, tending to favor the wealthy over the poor. Poverty reduction efforts must therefore measure the internal governance structures with the intention to reverse the perpetual cycle of corruption and poverty.

International goals and resolutions could be more achievable if domestic commitment, enforcement, and accountability mechanisms are strengthened.  Furthermore, conditional foreign aid which incentivizes good governance, including rule of law, transparency, and accountability, must be improved and critically enforced.  Ultimately, the international community must become more involved in the fight against corruption and poverty in Africa.

Paul Aborampah Mensah, of the Ghana Center for Democratic Development, is a member of our Southern Voices Network and research fellow here at the Wilson Center.