[Global corruption report 2003] Central africa

Abstract

"Recent elections and democratisation efforts in many Central African countries – including Cameroon, Chad, Gabon, Republic of Congo (ROC) and São Tomé and Príncipe – have not produced accountable, transparent governments. In other countries in the region, notably Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda and Burundi, chronic political instability has continued to breed corruption. In the last 12 months, corrupt practices throughout the region also continued to appropriate the resources needed to combat poverty. National anti-corruption legislation and policy declarations have not generally come as a result of genuine political will to combat corruption, but in response to pressure from international institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the donor community. In the last year, these international actors continued to tie their aid to good governance measures. Corruption within the civil service of countries in the region is attributable to both greed and poverty among employees in government and the private sector. In those countries that have been part of the recent boom in oil exploration in Central Africa – notably Chad and Equatorial Guinea, but also Cameroon, Gabon, ROC and São Tomé and Príncipe – the revenues flowing to government have opened huge opportunities for corruption. In the DRC, valuable mineral resources provided the incentive for international companies to deal with rebels, with revenues transferred into personal bank accounts that were used to purchase more arms to sustain the war.1 The implementation of anti-corruption efforts in 2001–02 continued to be problematic owing to weak or ineffectual institutional and legal safeguards, a lack of political will and absence of the rule of law. Countries in the region also generally lack well-trained police forces that can investigate individuals and provide the courts with the evidence required for successful prosecution. To date, the region still has not developed independent judicial systems that can effectively prosecute individuals accused of corrupt behaviour, nor is it home to an independent press competent to investigate and expose corruption. In Burundi, Cameroon, Chad and DRC, journalists continue to risk long prison terms or bankrupting fines for covering corruption."