Corruption is on the rise around the world, and efforts to combat it are limited. According to Transparency International’s 2023 Corruption Perceptions Report, 80% of the world’s population lives in countries with high levels of corruption, while only 10% live in the 25 countries with the lowest levels of corruption. However, corruption remains the biggest challenge in most countries.
Countries with strong judicial systems are less prone to corruption. Weak judicial systems and even weaker investigative procedures have made very limited progress in fighting corruption around the world. Incompetence in the judicial system means that these organized crimes, ranging from bribery and embezzlement to gross corruption, go unpunished. Moreover, they are often subject to higher powers or external interference. Abuse of this power can lead to centuries of injustice in society. Corruption and injustice go hand in hand. Just as corruption can flourish in an inadequate judicial system that cannot maintain the rule of law, justice cannot prevail in a corrupt country.
Check out the Top 5 Countries with Highest Perception of Corruption in the World
5. Yemen
- Corruption Perceptions Index (2023): 16 out of 100
Corruption is worsening Yemen’s humanitarian crisis. In 2023, the country scored 16 out of 100 on the Corruption Perceptions Index, ranking fifth on the list.
4. South Sudan
- Corruption Perceptions Index (2023): 13 out of 100
South Sudan is a victim of violence, food insecurity and displacement. In addition to these crises, the country also faces corruption. Its anti-corruption framework is still in its infancy, lacking capacity and resources, and open to political influence. South Sudan is fourth on the list.
3. Syria
- Corruption Perceptions Index (2023): 13 out of 100
As we have already made clear, fraud and corruption are linked. Countries experiencing human injustice are subject to systematic corruption, and this is no different in Syria. The civil war in the country has not only exacerbated the humanitarian crisis but also increased corruption in the country.
2. Venezuela
- Corruption Perceptions Index (2023): 13 out of 100
Venezuela has been dubbed a “mafia state” due to the rise in crime, gang warfare, inflation and corruption in the country. More than 50% of the country’s population lives in poverty. Venezuela ranks second in the list of countries with the highest corruption perceptions in the world.
1. Somalia
- Corruption Perceptions Index (2023): 11 out of 100
Somalia ranks first in the list of countries with the highest corruption perceptions in the world. Corruption is deeply ingrained in the country’s political system, hindering its progress. The Somali Federal Government only controls the capital, resulting in poor management of public resources. Additionally, the country faces crises such as drought and disease outbreaks and is heavily dependent on international aid. But corruption is deeply rooted in all sectors of the country, funneling aid into the pockets of the wealthy, further exacerbating these crises.