The Department for International Development (DFID) is the British government department responsible for promoting development and the reduction of poverty. DFID has identified the devastating effects of corruption on overall development worldwide and has put the fight against it on its working agenda. DFID's work on fighting corruption and improving transparency and accountability specifically aims at reducing poverty and the development of sound and reliable public institutions.
Bilateral development agencies have also been active in the fight against corruption. Among these agencies, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), an independent federal government agency that conducts foreign assistance and humanitarian aid to advance the political and economic interests of the U.S., aims to fight corruption through economic restructuring, the rule of law, open and accountable government, free media and civil society. Anti-corruption activities are co-ordinated by an anti-corruption working group which is composed of representatives of USAID's regional and other bureaus. The group aims to broaden discussion of the OECD anti-bribery convention and, accordingly, several bureaus have co-sponsored or financially supported anti-corruption workshops with the OECD's Anti-Corruption Division.
