MOST CORRUPT NATION

Rajika Jayatilake reports on Somalia’s ranking as the most corrupt country on the planet by Transparency International

To be declared ‘first’ isn’t an honour when a country is pinned as the most corrupt in the world. Transparency International’s (TI) 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) ranks Somalia as the most corrupt among 180 countries surveyed. This situation was created and exacerbated by the country’s political instability, unending terrorism and domestic conflict.

Corruption is reportedly embedded in the Somalian administration – from its legislature to judicial services, civil society, police, tax administration, public services and procurement, and natural resources. In fact, corruption destroyed Somalia’s once fertile and abundant natural resources, leading to severe droughts, unpredictable rainfall, rising temperatures and desertification.

Adverse weather and destroyed harvests boomerang on agrarian communities, pushing poor people into worsening living conditions.

The Somalia Poverty Report 2023 produced by the Somalia National Bureau of Statistics (SNBS) states that 54.4 percent of the population live below the poverty line with a daily consumption rate of less than US$ 2.06 a day.

Corruption creeps into even these desperate situations, making it difficult for emergency food relief organisations to engage in their mercy missions.

Not long ago, the country experienced its worst drought in 40 years. A report by the United Nations Sustainable Deve­lop­ment Group states: “After five consecutive seasons with less rainfall than expected, Somalia is facing a climatic event not seen in its recorded history.”

The dysfunctional systems in Somalia, which enable and embolden misrule, are responsible for the increasing propensity to propagate corruption. As American author David Brin aptly observes, “it is said that power corrupts; but actually, it’s more true that power attracts the corruptible.”

It isn’t that Somalia ignored the issue or has resisted efforts to address corruption over the years. In 2011 for instance, the Independent Anti-Corruption Commission was formed to prevent and stamp out corruption.

A year later, international donors and Somali authorities established a joint financial management board to prevent corruption in the distribution of donor funds. And in 2013, the Somali federal government launched a new Public Finance Management Policy (PFMP) for transparency, accuracy and timeliness of the public sector financial system.

Since 2014, USAID has engaged in a project called Strengthening Somali Governance (SSG) to train civil servants, journalists and civil society organisations to deal with corruption. The government also launched its National Anti-Corruption Strategy 2020-2023 with the aim of making anticorruption efforts official at all levels of government.

Moreover, the UN urged greater involvement by Somali women and youth in fighting  corruption.

However, all these efforts have not taken root; they haven’t been followed by a commitment to eradicate corruption.

A recent year-end assessment report by the UN Special Representative to Somalia Catriona Laing notes that in spite of progress, pervasive corruption – mainly in politics – continues to obstruct state building in the country.

Political corruption has been the greatest hindrance in fighting corruption. In 2021, former president Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed suspended then prime minister Mohamed Hussein Roble on corruption allegations and misuse of public land.

Abdullahi Mohamed lost the presidential election in 2022, paving the way for Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to become the country’s president for a second time. He was head of state from 2012 to 2017 but was strongly criticised for alleged corruption, abuse of power and suppressing of media freedom.

A second term as president gave Mohamud another opportunity to fight corruption and pull Somalia out of the swamp. He signed a series of anticorruption directives to make clear his administration’s goal of combatting corruption.

However, Somalia has not yet extricated itself from the ignominy of being the most corrupt country in the world. Mohamud wasn’t successful in breaking the normalisation of corruption among politicians and is also being criticised for failing to remove himself from the orbit of the reportedly corrupt activities of his closest allies.

Economist and visiting researcher at Somalia’s SIMAD University’s Institute of Climate and Environment Dhaqane Halane was quoted in a recent issue of Paris based English language quarterly The Africa Report as saying that steps taken to stop state funds being used illegally will bolster the country’s economic strength.

He notes: “Lowering the level of corruption will increase revenue mobilisation, attract foreign direct investment, in­crease job creation, enhance the country’s production and ultimately lead to the rise of GDP.”

Meanwhile, independent analyst Hassan Sheikh Imam says that “there must be a paradigm shift and a change in the current political system if corruption is to be tackled.” But there’s little chance of a paradigm shift when political corruption continues unabated.

In April, an amendment to the Constitution of Somalia, which was passed by a substantial parliamentary majority, grants the president the authority to appoint and dismiss the prime minister. Former presidents and state leaders, concerned about insufficient consensus, opposed this change.

As English historian and politician Lord Acton once famously said, “power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

It is said that power corrupts; but actually, it’s more true that power attracts the corruptible

David Brin
American author