By Charles W. Corey
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- A just-released report from the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) warns that corruption in sub-Saharan Africa is still widespread and severely undercuts the region's long-term economic growth and development, often diverting funds that could be used for education, investment and public infrastructure.

The report details U.S. anti-corruption projects that are part of its assistance programs to sub-Saharan Africa but cautions that, even though corruption in the region is widespread, measuring it is "inherently challenging."

The World Bank Index and Transparency International Index rank many sub-Saharan African nations among the most corrupt worldwide, the report notes, but says that both indices rely on perceptions rather than quantifiable incidences of corruption, and both institutions recognize that their assessments are imprecise.

Citing country surveys and other information sources, the report, which was prepared at the request of the United States Congress, notes that households see corruption as rooted in the police, the judicial system and health services, although perceptions of the most and least corrupt institutions vary among countries.

On a broader scale, international donors, according to the report, believe corruption is a challenge to political stability, hampers sustainable growth, distorts prices, undermines legal and judicial systems and prevents public services from reaching those most in need.

The report cites several factors in sub-Saharan Africa that contribute to an atmosphere of corruption:

"First, low civil service salaries often lead employees to solicit bribes or embezzle funds ... a lack of transparency and accountability in government operations creates opportunities for corruption.

"Also, ineffective legal frameworks and weak enforcement of laws impede attempts to investigate and prosecute corruption" and "most of the countries lack an effective judicial system to prosecute and sanction corrupt officials.

"Finally," the report warns, "public tolerance of corruption is common and, in some countries, corruption is expected."

Funding for U.S. anti-corruption programs developed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), as well as the departments of the Treasury, Justice, Commerce and State, represented about 2.4 percent of U.S. assistance to the region in fiscal years 2001-2002, according to the report.

In general, these programs have addressed corruption both directly and indirectly by working to create an environment not conducive to corruption, the report notes, focusing on: developing civil society programs; encouraging legal, judicial, and regulatory reform; privatizing government functions; enhancing government accountability; supporting elections; establishing anti-corruption agencies; and providing law enforcement assistance.

These anti-corruption efforts, the report explains, have taught both the country agencies and assistance organizations lessons about the conditions and components necessary for programs to succeed.

"First, political will and commitment from a country's leadership are essential. Second, widespread public support is necessary. Third, the programs must be tailored to each country's unique historical and economic conditions. Fourth, programs should take a multi-pronged approach, emphasizing prevention, education and law enforcement. Fifth, transparency and public access to information are important to ensure adequate oversight of government. Finally, because corruption cannot be eradicated quickly and simply, anti-corruption efforts require long-term commitment to gain public confidence."

Anti-corruption programs, according to the support, have focused on supporting civil society; encouraging legal, judicial, and regulatory reform; privatizing government functions; enhancing government accountability; supporting elections; establishing anticorruption agencies; and providing law enforcement assistance.

In October 2000, the United States Congress passed the International Anti-corruption and Good Governance Act. The legislation established anti-corruption as one of five major U.S. foreign policy goals but did not provide new funding for anti-corruption initiatives.

The recently initiated Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) assistance program proposes to reward good governance and to use a measure of corruption as a key indicator of a country's eligibility for assistance.

The MCA initiative, funded at $1 billion in fiscal year 2004 with significant increases proposed by fiscal year 2006, has drawn attention to the eligibility requirements for these funds, the steps that sub-Saharan African governments have taken to address corruption, and U.S. efforts to assist these nations.

The report also cited multiple examples of alleged corruption, particularly in nations with extractive industries such as oil, natural gas, and precious gems, including:

A Nigerian case of grand corruption involved former military ruler Sani Abacha, who is alleged to have transferred tens of billions of dollars out of the country during his 1993-1998 rule. In Angola, government mismanagement of oil revenue was reported in the press to have resulted in the disappearance of $4.2 billion between 1997 and 2002. In Benin, the minister of finance estimated in 2001 that $68 million is lost to corruption every 3 years.

Petty or administrative corruption, involving lesser amounts of money, has also been shown to affect the poor adversely by increasing the price of, and restricting access to, public services. For example, the poor in Sierra Leone pay a disproportionately higher percentage of their incomes on bribes for health, education, and courts than do wealthier citizens, according to recent analysis by the government of Sierra Leone.

U.S. anti-corruption efforts began with a few USAID government reform programs in Liberia, the Sahel Region, and Niger between 1960 and 1980. During the mid-1990s, USAID began incorporating anti-corruption activities into new and existing programs and now programs promoting transparency have evolved to include surveys, media campaigns, anti-corruption commissions, and support for host government legislatures.