Middle East and North African (MENA) countries were the stars of corruption in 2003, according to Transparency International (TI). Out of 133 nations ranked on the anti-corruption watchdog’s Perceptions Index 2003, 12 countries from the region were ranked under 70th place.
According to TI, Oman was the least corrupt country in MENA, ranking 26th. Gulf countries followed with Bahrain at 27, Qatar at 32, Kuwait at 35 and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at 37. Cyprus was also ranked in 27th place and Tunisia came in at 39. Jordan ranked 43rd followed by Saudi Arabia at 46 and Syria at 66.
Iran, Lebanon and the Palestinian Authority were tied at 78th place, with Turkey slightly ahead at 77. North Africa was in bad shape with Egypt and Morocco ranking 70th, Algeria 88th, Sudan 106th and Libya at 118th. Yemen tied with Algeria at 88 followed by Iraq at 113.
Finland ranked as the world’s least corrupt country and Bangladesh as the most corrupt in the 2003 index.
The TI Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2003, released on October 7, ranks countries in terms of the degree to which corruption is perceived to exist among public officials and politicians. It is a composite index, drawing on 17 different polls and surveys from 13 independent institutions.
The CPI focuses on corruption in the public sector and defines corruption as the abuse of public office for private gain. The surveys used in compiling the CPI tend to ask questions in line with the misuse of public power for private benefit, with a focus, on bribe-taking by public officials in public procurement. — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
