The U.K. - Global - The Bahamas

[Press Release] Corruption crackdown under new government anti-money laundering laws. Overseas organizations owning UK land must have publicly declared their true owners, under world leading UK laws to crack down dirty money, says UK Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy.

 

UK Government: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/corruption-crackdown-under-new-government-anti-money-laundering-laws

 

 

Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2022: Corruption as a fundamental threat to peace and security. According to Transparency International (TI), The United Nations recognizes that democracy is the best way to bring about international peace, and research has proven that democratic countries do not go to war against each other. But right now, democracy is backsliding around the world – and corruption is one of the greatest antagonists.

 

TI:  https://www.transparency.org/en/news/cpi-2022-corruption-fundamental-threat-peace-security

 

 

Pushing reforms in The Bahamas to make "a real dent" in corruption. "At the International Anti-Corruption Conference in Washington D.C. we learned that corruption has so many destructive impacts at all levels on countries". By passing four critical laws this year, the Bahamas can make "a real dent" in its anti-corruption standing, says Director of the Organization for Responsible Governance.

 

The Tribune: http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/feb/01/push-reforms-make-real-dent-corruption/

 

Global - India - Uganda

Jordan, Latvia, and Israel shape up diplomatic corps after "shadow diplomats" investigation. Last year, ICIJ in partnership with more than 60 media partners published "shadow diplomats", and investigation revealing that honorary consuls have repeatedly exploited diplomatic status to threaten international security and the rule of law.

 

International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ): https://www.icij.org/investigations/shadow-diplomats/jordan-latvia-and-israel-shake-up-diplomatic-corps-after-shadow-diplomats-investigation/

 

 

Indian Tax Department: Think twice before tax fraud, the authorities are on to you with AI. Post-Goods and Services Tax (GST) rules have created a host of tax evasion methods. But the Tax department has new tricks up its sleeve.

 

The Print: https://theprint.in/opinion/think-twice-before-tax-fraud-the-authorities-are-on-to-you-with-ai/1343045/

 

 

State House Anti-Corruption tightens nose on land fraud. Land in Uganda has for a long time been a controversial matter that has deterred development in some incidences. Unfortunately, investigations over time have shown that land fraud and corruption start with officials at the ministry level and grows to individual level.

 

PML Daily: https://www.pmldaily.com/news/2023/01/state-house-anti-corruption-tightens-nose-on-land-fraud.html

 

Bangladesh - Fededation of Bosnia and Herzegovina - Uzbekistan

Bangladesh's business environment deteriorated in 2022 due to corruption. "Corruption was the most problematic factor for doing business for the majority of enterprises" argues World Economic Forum's (WEF) Executive Opinion Survey.

 

The Daily Star: https://www.thedailystar.net/business/news/business-climate-worsened-2022-due-corruption-cpd-survey-3233511

 

 

The adoption of this year's Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) budget enables the largest investments. The adoption of this year's budget allows for the largest investments from domestic financial resources in strengthening the judiciary, to fight corruption and organized crime. "The investment in the judiciary and the fight against corruption will certainly give added value".

 

Sarajevo Times: https://sarajevotimes.com/the-adoption-of-this-years-fbih-budget-enables-the-largest-investments/

 

 

OSCE strengthens the open data ecosystem in Uzbekistan. "The development of open data forms an integral part of the OSCE's programmes to promote economic development and good governance, which is an important prerequisite for peace, sustainable development and security".

 

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE): https://www.osce.org/project-coordinator-in-uzbekistan/536557

 

South Africa - Global - Solomon Islands

President Ramaphosa says ANC is committed to fighting corruption. "Corruption pervades all over in both the private and public sectors. It has become a national social ill which we must root out of South Africa" says Cyril Ramaphosa to the ANC national executive committee after recent sidelining of whistleblowers.

 

Business Live: https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/national/2023-01-29-ramaphosa-says-anc-committed-to-fighting-corruption/

 

 

[Report] Corruption Perceptions Index 2022. The covid-19 pandemic, the climate crisis and growing security threats across the globe are fueling a new wave of uncertainty. In an already unstable world, countries failing to address their corruption problems worsen the effects.

 

Transparency International: https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2022

 

 

Solomon Islands registers minimal improvements in Corruption Perception Index (CPI). Despite the passage of important legislations, such laws have not necessarily achieved the desire outcome i.e., more arrests and/or prosecution for those who use public assets for private gain.

 

Solomon Times: https://www.solomontimes.com/news/solomon-islands-registers-minimal-improvements-in-corruption-perception-index-cpi/12397

 

 

 

The Netherlands - Nigeria - Southeast Europe

Money laundering bill would still give Dutch banks too much surveillance power. The Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) is still very critical of the proposed law to tackle money laundering by banks. It gives banks the scope to monitor payment for suspicious transactions traffic on a large scale.

 

NL Times: https://nltimes.nl/2023/01/24/money-laundering-bill-still-give-dutch-banks-much-surveillance-power

 

 

Nigeria makes case for international anti-corruption court. The Chief of Staff to the president recently disclosed that Nigeria was working with some other countries to establish the International Anti-Corruption Court (IACC), to frontally deal with the menace of corruption.

 

This Day Live: https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2023/01/25/nigeria-makes-case-for-international-anti-corruption-court/

 

 

Policy Forum: Civil society plays a key role in fight against corruption. Civil society should act as a watchdog, but also a partner to the governments in advancing reforms and fighting corruption, concluded a panel in a forum organized by European Policy Centre (CEP) in Belgrade.

 

European Western Balkans: https://europeanwesternbalkans.com/2023/01/26/policy-forum-civil-society-plays-a-key-role-in-fight-against-corruption/

 

Global - Bangladesh - Oman

[Report] Authoritarian kleptocrats are thriving on the West's failures. Can they be stopped? Kleptocratic regimes have exploited the lax and uneven regulatory environments of the global financial system to hide their ill-gotten gains. As it stands, our thinking about how foreign corruption spreads is too constrained by stereotypes about kleptocratic goals and actions.

 

Atlantic Council: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/report/authoritarian-kleptocrats-are-thriving-on-the-wests-failures-can-they-be-stopped/

 

 

[Report] High tax, lack of good governance cause money laundering. The Bangladesh Customs Department recently found that overseas trade is a "risky zone" in terms of money laundering.

 

Prothomalo: https://en.prothomalo.com/business/local/scwrvr7s0t

 

 

Inspection campaigns to combat money laundering launched in Oman. The country seeks to comply with the requirements of combating money laundering and terrorist financing, and to comply with the international standards in force in this field.

 

Zawya: https://www.zawya.com/en/legal/policy/inspection-campaigns-to-combat-money-laundering-launched-in-oman-knin4npw

 

Sierra Leone - Europe - Nigeria

Sierra Leone: Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Manager Reaffirms Commitment to Battle Corruption. Through a Non-Conviction Based Asset Recovery Model, she argues the commission has seen laudable gains in recovering huge sums of misappropriated funds. Corruption prevention strides through radical public education and effective systems and processes review, according to her. 

 

All Africa: https://allafrica.com/stories/202301240251.html  

 

European Parliament votes to expand proposed rules targeting shell companies after Pandora Papers highlighted their role in tax evasion. Negotiations remain ongoing for final adoption of the "Unshell" directive, while tax justice activists say it may be too "weak" to effectively stop tax abuses.  

 

International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ): https://www.icij.org/investigations/pandora-papers/european-parliament-votes-to-expand-proposed-rules-targeting-shell-companies-after-pandora-papers-highlighted-their-role-in-tax-evasion/  

 

 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation (OAuGF) are to intensify cooperation in the fight against economic and financial crimes, including corruption. EFCC Chairman acknowledged the shared mandate of both agencies in promoting public accountability and transparency. 

 

EFCC Nigeria: https://www.efcc.gov.ng/efcc/news-and-information/news-release/8814-efcc-oaugf-to-collaborate-in-fight-against-corruption