Improving governance through development

Corruption directly prevents reduction of poverty, impeding progress towards the goals of both aid donors and recipients (including the Millennium Development Goals). Fighting corruption, promoting transparency and improving integrity are key to the OECD’s development co-operation policies.

OECD donors have been working together to fight corruption for more than a decade. Their key document, the 2003 Principles for Donor Action in Anti-Corruption, support country-led anti-corruption strategies and ensure that aid programmes do not foster corruption. They resolve to work together to address the supply side of bribery, while encouraging anti-corruption work among aid recipients.

The 2005 Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness defines a clear, practical plan to improve the quality and impact of development aid. It focuses specifically on strengthening recipient countries’ procurement systems and financial management systems.

The policy paper, Setting an agenda for collective action, proposes a collective donor approach to preventing corruption. It identifies opportunities for collective action in a number of areas where managing the multiple risks of corruption requires a co-ordinated approach.