18th International Anti-Corruption Conference

Corruption in countries dealing with conflict or fragility is particularly destructive, as it undermines the ability of governments to provide even the most basic public services, steals from the most vulnerable, and widens inequalities. It exacerbates social unrest and conflict and can contribute to violent extremism. Confronting corruption in these fragile environments is critical for long-term stability and shared prosperity. But this work is extremely challenging and is made more so by a lack of transparency and accountability along with low trust in already weak institutions. The successes and disappointments of the last decades have been instructive in how to effectively address corruption in these difficult and varied contexts. How can we leverage the latest innovations together with what we have learned from past engagements? How can we make sure that efforts to address corruption in fragile and conflict states are most likely to succeed?

The proposed panel discussion will focus on (i) the contextual challenges that must be addressed when confronting corruption in fragile and conflict states; (ii) the core elements of successful engagements and the critical role of ensuring accountability; (iii) the challenges of managing risk and the importance of balancing longer-term sustainable impact on corruption, as well as more immediate successes; (iv) the need to focus on both building capacity and skills within government systems, and building coalitions among civil society and other stakeholder groups; and (v) the untapped potential for transformative interventions rooted in new technologies.