The annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption according to experts and businesspeople. It relies on 13 independent data sources and uses a scale of zero to 100, where zero is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean.
More than two-thirds of countries (68 per cent) score below 50 and the average global score remains unchanged at 43. Since 2012, 25 countries significantly improved their scores but in the same period 31 countries significantly declined.
The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2022 revealed that 124 countries have stagnant corruption levels while the number of countries in decline is increasing. This has particular consequences because of the relationship between conflict and corruption – corruption is both a cause and result of a decline in peace and security. Corruption and conflict support each other and threaten durable peace. On one hand, conflict creates fertile ground for corruption – political instability, increased pressure on resources and weakened oversight bodies create opportunities for crimes, such as bribery and embezzlement.
Unsurprisingly, most countries at the bottom of the CPI are currently experiencing armed conflict or have recently done so. On the other hand, even in peaceful societies, corruption and impunity can spill over into violence by fuelling social grievances. The siphoning-off of resources needed by security agencies leaves states unable to protect the public and uphold the rule of law. Consequently, countries with higher levels of corruption are more likely to also exhibit higher levels of organised crime and increased security threats. In this complex environment, fighting corruption, promoting transparency and strengthening institutions are critical to avoid further conflict and sustain peace.
The CPI 2022 once again showed that countries perceived as having low levels of public sector corruption are nevertheless vulnerable to undue influence by private interests – both domestic and foreign.
According to the 2022 CPI, the fight against public sector corruption has stagnated in the majority of countries earning top scores – including advanced economies such as Germany (CPI score: 79), France (72) and Switzerland (82). Meanwhile, five traditionally top-scoring countries have seen their assessments decline significantly: Australia (75), Austria (71), Canada (74), Luxembourg (77) and the United Kingdom (73).
Countries with strong institutions and well-functioning democracies often find themselves at the top of the Index. Denmark leads the ranking, with a score of 90. Finland and New Zealand follow closely with a score of 87. Norway (84), Singapore (83), Sweden (83), Switzerland (82), the Netherlands (80), Germany (79), Ireland (77) and Luxembourg (77) complete the top 10 this year.
At the other end of the scale, countries experiencing conflict or where basic personal and political freedoms are highly restricted tend to earn the lowest marks. This year, Somalia (12), Syria (13), and South Sudan (13) are at the bottom of the index. Venezuela (14), Yemen (16), Libya (17), North Korea (17), Haiti (17), Equatorial Guinea (17) and Burundi (17) are also in the bottom 10.
In summary, the CPI shows that corruption levels have stagnated or worsened in 86 per cent of countries over the last decade.