From football to road construction – corruption has many faces. But the general rule is that the more opaque and unregulated decision-making processes are, the greater the risk of abusing power for self-enrichment.

by Gerhard Wahlers

Judges are at the heart of a functioning constitutional state under the rule of law, but unfortunately this does not mean that they are immune to corruption. Recent years have seen a number of high-profile cases, demonstrating that corrupt judges are a global problem. In the fight against judicial corruption, it is essential to seek solutions at the national level, but it is still valuable to gain a global perspective of this phenomenon.

by Franziska Rinke, Marie-Christine Fuchs, Gisela Elsner, Aishwarya Natarajan, Arne Wulff, Nils Seidel, Hartmut Rank, Mahir Muharemović, Anja Schoeller-Schletter

The Impact of Corruption on the Electricity Supply in Sub-Saharan Africa

More than half of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa has no access to electricity. This is partly due to endemic corruption, the cost of which hampers the expansion of energy infrastructure. In the fight against corruption, it is vital to strengthen good governance and build effective, accountable state institutions as set out in Goal 16 of Agenda 2030.

by Anja Berretta

Ukraine is the most transparent corrupt country in Europe. Corruption, oligarchy, and some mafia-like structures continue to be part of everyday life for people in Ukraine – in healthcare, education, business, customs, or the media landscape. Nevertheless, the reform efforts of the past few years have achieved increased transparency and social awareness of corruption. The German government and the European Union are providing substantial support to Ukraine; justice reform and combatting corruption are priorities.

by Isabel Weininger

Nigeria could be one of the richest countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Thanks to its oil and gas industry, billions of dollars flood into the state’s coffers every year. Yet, the country faces immense challenges. Extreme poverty, a weakening economy, a dilapidated infrastructure, terrorism, and organised crime are all part of the everyday life of the population. Corruption, which has been depriving the country of the resources it needs to develop, is largely to blame for the current state of affairs.

by Vladimir Kreck

An Important Step in the Fight Against Corruption in Morocco?

Morocco is no stranger to the global problem of corruption and the associated lack of public trust in the country’s administration. Public pressure, especially during the Arab Spring, resulted in a constitutional amendment in 2011 and people being given the right of access to information. Citizens now have the right to request non-public information held by the administration, while at the same time public bodies are required to proactively provide citizens with more information. Morocco’s Access to Information Act has been in force since March 2019, however, its adoption has been postponed until 2020.

by Steffen Krüger

Regional Interests in the Afghan Peace Process

The first official peace talks between the US and the Taliban, held in 2019, and the possible withdrawal of US troops announced by President Trump could end what has been almost 20 years of ­NATO presence in Afghanistan. For regional countries – Pakistan, India, Iran, Russia, and China – the developments offer an incentive to restructure the regional peace and security order.

by Ellinor Zeino

In a globally networked world of ever closer connections between people, goods, capital and services, Germany’s future depends on how early it identifies new trends and challenges. This is essential in order to lay the groundwork for political decisions that will positively shape Germany’s and Europe’s framework conditions for freedom and democracy, innovation, economic competitiveness and both internal and external security. The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung has, thus, surveyed its international network of staff posted in more than 100 countries around the globe. A number of trends were identified Germany needs to be prepared to respond to.

by Peter Fischer-Bollin