What is the international community doing?

Corruption and good governance concern everyone in the international community: donors, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), governments, and citizens in developing and industrial countries alike. The key to curbing corruption is disabling its causes. Some of the ways the international community is helping to curb corruption include:

• Providing assistance to countries that ask for help in curbing corruption
• Contributing to international corruption-fighting efforts
• Striving to prevent fraud and corruption in donor-financed projects
• Fighting corruption is a key focus of the World Bank's analysis and consideration of lending to a country. In September 2007, the World Bank, in partnership with the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC), launched an initiative called the Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative to help developing countries recover assets stolen by corrupt leaders, help invest them in effective development programs, and combat safe havens internationally. "There should be no safe haven for those who steal from the poor," said World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick. "Helping developing countries recover the stolen money will be key to fund social programs and put corrupt leaders on notice that they will not escape the law." Transparency International looks at corruption in each country in the world and rates the countries on a corruption scale.